HCMC – The Government has proposed a VND580.1 trillion national program to modernize schools and improve education quality from 2026 to 2035, the Ministry of Education and Training said at a National Assembly session on November 25.
The program aims to upgrade the entire education system, from preschool to university, and strengthen infrastructure nationwide. All schools are expected to meet national standards, with investments in classrooms, laboratories, STEM/STEAM facilities, and physical education spaces.
The plan also includes completing a network of boarding schools and teacher housing in remote and island areas. By 2035, at least 30% of general schools would be equipped to teach some subjects in English.
At the vocational level, the program will focus on 18 colleges to establish six national and 12 regional training centers for high-skilled labor. Around 30 additional colleges will receive investment in priority sectors.
For higher education, the plan targets modernization of facilities and laboratories at key universities, aiming for eight public universities to enter Asia’s top 200 rankings and at least one to reach the global top 100 in selected fields.
The initiative also includes teacher training, digital transformation, and student development programs. Funding would come from the central budget (60.2%), local budgets (19.9%), school contributions (15.4%), and other legal sources (4.5%).
Nguyen Dac Vinh, chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Social Affairs, endorsed the program but urged authorities to review it for overlaps with existing initiatives and ensure feasibility, particularly regarding English-language expansion targets. The committee also called for clear criteria on infrastructure, teaching equipment, and training abroad for educators.
