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Investing in education and training

The role of education and training

The scientific and technological revolution is unfolding vigorously worldwide. Science has become a direct productive force, and technology is evolving quickly. People's intellectual level and scientific and
technical potential have become determining factors in the strength and position of each country in the world.

The level of education is always considered one of the most important criteria for evaluating the development level of society. Education is critical in developing intellectual levels, training workers, and
fostering talents for the country.

For poor countries like Vietnam, the only way to quickly lift the nation out of poverty and backwardness is to invest in general human resources and education and training in particular. In other words,
developing the workforce is the key for Vietnam to escape poverty and backwardness.

The changes and achievements

Since the country's reunification, the Communist Party and the government of Vietnam have made significant efforts to reform the education system's quality. In the 1980-1981 school year, Vietnam
applied the 12-year program for the first time, and by 1992 had completed the entire curriculum and new textbooks.

The current national education system of Vietnam includes early childhood education, which comprises preschool and kindergarten; general education, which consists of two levels: primary education (from
grade 1 to grade 5) and secondary education (from grade 6 to grade 12), with secondary education further divided into lower secondary and upper secondary levels; vocational education, which includes
vocational high schools and vocational training; and higher education.

The literacy campaign has achieved commendable results. Vietnam is one of the countries with the lowest illiteracy rates in the world. Various forms of training have been diversified, including regular, in-
service, and distance education, to meet the increasing demands of learners and society. Furthermore, more Vietnamese students are being sent abroad for study and in-depth learning.

The program content and teaching methods have been improved to train students who meet the requirements of the market economy. Long-term and short-term vocational schools have been established
for high school graduates to prepare them for the labor market.

State budget investment in education is still limited but has increased steadily over the years to create significant material advantages for developing education and training. Efforts to strengthen and
expand the education network in mountainous and remote areas have yielded positive initial results.

The teaching equipment needs to be updated. Currently, equipment from before 1960 still accounts for 37% of the total equipment in universities and colleges. The situation is even worse in secondary
schools, with deteriorating classroom conditions. The 3rd shift classes, makeshift classes are common in the localities.

Teachers' qualifications at all levels remain low, unable to fulfill the tremendous demands of today's economic development. Teachers are paid low salaries, leading to teachers leaving the profession or
teaching more for financial purposes, making schools in general and teachers in particular increasingly less prestigious in people's eyes.

The polarization of the quality of education is also a matter of concern in Vietnam. Although the policy of socializing education has created more educational opportunities for the people, there is a risk of
widening social disparities. The problem of "genuine degrees, fake knowledge" is troubling in Vietnam.

The norm of spending on education per capita in Vietnam is still very low compared to other countries in the region and the world. In the foreseeable future, Vietnam's education system cannot thrive if the
per capita spending on education does not increase.

The state budget investment in education and training does not meet demand and can't cover the costs incurred as the number of students increases (nearly 1 million per year on average) due to price
slippage... Meanwhile, many experts in the education sector believe that the current allocation of education budgets based on population size is unreasonable and has significantly impacted the quality of
education and training.

What can be done to remedy the situation?

According to a senior official from the Ministry of Education and Training, there is a need to enhance financial resources for education and training, specifically investing in the state budget for education to
20%.

The Party and the state need to focus all possible efforts and give the highest priority to the development of education and training. Education and training should be considered as the leading national
policy of the government and the collective endeavor of the entire population.

It is necessary to complete the eradication of illiteracy nationwide and ensure universal primary education at the appropriate age in most localities, moving towards achieving primary universal secondary
education by around 2020.

In summary, it is necessary to conduct extensive socialization of education by various and rich measures. For the education budget management mechanism, improving capital investment efficiency still
limits funding.