Vietnam education reforms target teacher training and staffing shortages

teacher shortages educational reform teacher training school restructuring vocational education

Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training is implementing several structural reforms to address systemic issues in the national education system. Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau has called for an end to teacher training at non-pedagogical institutions and a reform of the recruitment process for the sector.

Recent data reveals a significant national teacher shortage. As of September 15, following school restructuring, the country faces a deficit of 103,328 teachers compared to required quotas, despite efforts to redistribute staff from areas of surplus. The shortage is particularly acute in preschool and primary education, as well as in specialized subjects like informatics, foreign languages, music, and fine arts.

To manage these challenges, the Ministry is considering new teacher staffing norms that may lead to reductions in official staff numbers, a move that has sparked debate regarding its feasibility amidst existing shortages. Additionally, the Ministry has issued new guidelines for vocational training and released instructions for accessing electronic textbooks through the Vietnam Education Publishing House to support digital transformation in classrooms.