# Vietnam growth and governance reforms > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/vietnam-growth-and-governance-reforms > Updated: 2026-09-03T05:16:00.000Z. Sources: 37. Developments: 7. In early July, President and Party General Secretary To Lam warned that the 8.2% growth rate lagged behind the 9.7% target and called for a special action programme to speed up stalled projects, free abandoned land, cut red-tape and expand strategic infrastructure such as high-speed rail, ports and digital networks. He emphasized that economic growth must be accompanied by jobs, higher incomes, affordable housing, education, and healthcare, noting that growth remains uneven across provinces, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. By late July, To Lam shifted attention to institutional reform during the third plenum of the 14th Party Central Committee. He urged unified governance of land, sea, urban zones, infrastructure, natural resources and data through an integrated spatial-planning system—the “second great transformation”—to move Vietnam toward upper-middle-income status by 2030 and a high-income socialist economy by 2045. On 30 July, provincial leaders in Lam Dong and Da Nang echoed the central call for faster administration. Party Secretaries Y Thanh Ha Nie Kdam and Le Ngoc Quang pressed local officials to shorten procedures, accelerate digitisation, resolve land-clearance bottlenecks and enforce clear accountability to prevent responsibility-evading behaviour. In late August, To Lam expanded the reform agenda to include talent management and governance innovation. He advocated for a model of “right roles and right authority,” stressing that leaders must be held accountable for retaining experts by providing clear tasks and resources rather than just financial incentives. He warned that leaders bear responsibility if skilled personnel are lost to environments characterized by “unfairness, jealousy, or obstruction.” On 25 August, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng presided over a conference outlining the 2026-2027 academic year theme, ‘Innovate thinking - Strong transformation - Substantial results’. ## Claims - The theme for the 2026-2027 school year is 'Innovation in thinking - Strong transformation - Substantial results'. (disputed by 6 sources) - The government must combat academic achievement obsession and fraud in teaching and testing. (disputed by 3 sources) - To Lam chaired a meeting to evaluate the one-year implementation of Resolution 71 of the Politburo regarding breakthroughs in education and training. (corroborated by 6 sources) - The education sector must transition from perfecting institutions to effective implementation. (corroborated by 6 sources) - To Lam emphasized that personnel work must shift from stage-by-stage management to governance. (corroborated by 5 sources) - Education must ensure sufficient schools, classrooms, and teachers to prevent students from being limited by their birthplace. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The education sector must reform internal management, teaching methods, and assessment to reduce rote learning. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Personnel planning is a process of preparation, training, verification, and screening, not just preparing seats. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The investment for the Nguyen Thi Tu road expansion project was adjusted from 970 billion VND to over 6,471 billion VND. (corroborated by 3 sources) - As of August 2026, 35 out of 76 specific tasks related to Resolution 71 have been completed. (corroborated by 2 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-03: To Lam calls for concrete implementation of Party resolutions President To Lam urged Vietnamese officials to translate Party resolutions into concrete results, calling for administrative reforms, improved regional connectivity, and the removal of legal barriers. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/to-lam-calls-for-concrete-implementation-of-party-resolutions ### 2026-08-26: To Lam calls for overhaul of Vietnam's Party building and personnel governance Vietnam's President To Lam has called for comprehensive reforms in Party building and personnel governance to strengthen the political system and prepare for long-term national development goals. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/to-lam-calls-for-overhaul-of-vietnams-party-building-and-personnel-governance ### 2026-08-25: Vietnam education sector undergoes major restructuring for 2026-2027 school year Vietnam is restructuring its education sector for the 2026-2027 school year, aiming to reduce institutions by 50.5% while focusing on digital transformation, STEM, and addressing teacher shortages. 33 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/to-lam-chairs-review-of-vietnams-education-development-resolution ### 2026-08-23: To Lam calls for governance reform and improved talent management General Secretary To Lam has called for governance reforms in Vietnam, emphasizing accountability in talent management and the importance of leaders acting within their proper roles and authority. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/to-lam-calls-for-governance-reform-and-improved-talent-management ### 2026-07-30: Vietnamese Provincial Leaders Demand Faster Administration and Clearer Responsibility Vietnam’s Lam Dong and Da Nẵng party secretaries called for faster administrative procedures, tighter responsibility, digitalisation and land‑clearance to meet growth targets. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnamese-provincial-leaders-demand-faster-administration-and-clearer-responsibility ### 2026-07-27: Vietnam President To Lam Calls for Unified Governance at Party Plenum Vietnam President To Lam urged integrated management of land, sea, urban areas and resources, calling it a second great transformation to reach upper‑middle‑income status by 2030 and high‑income socialist elite 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-president-to-lam-calls-for-unified-governance-at-party-plenum ### 2026-07-04: Vietnam President To Lam Calls for Accelerated Growth and Policy Action Vietnam President To Lam links growth to jobs, income and housing, targets a 9.7% goal, and orders a six‑month action plan to clear bottlenecks, boost infrastructure and tighten regulations. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-president-to-lam-calls-for-accelerated-growth-and-policy-action --- Cite as: Vietnam growth and governance reforms. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/vietnam-growth-and-governance-reforms