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Monday, April 28, 2025
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Vietnam to Establish English as Second Language by 2035

This Week

Vietnam is set to establish English as the second language for all general education students by 2035, with full implementation continuing through 2045. 

This plan, which was first announced on 7 March by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), aims to integrate English as a key language for teaching and daily communication in schools across the country, while Vietnamese will remain the official language.

On 23 April, a workshop was held at Hanoi National University of Education to gather feedback on the project, titled “Making English the Second Language in Schools (2025-2035), with a Vision to 2045.” 

Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong urged universities and teacher training institutions to proactively build staff, upgrade facilities, and develop comprehensive programs to support the implementation of the plan. He also called for closer coordination with local education departments to align teacher training with practical needs.

Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong of the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam. (Photo credit: Lao Dong)

Drawing on both theoretical and practical experience, higher education institutions are expected to advise MoET on policies that will be needed in the future.

The plan is structured across six levels of implementation, designed to integrate English throughout Vietnam’s educational system. 

By 2035, preschools will be equipped to teach English to children aged 3-5, with all nursery and kindergarten students learning English by 2045. For primary and secondary education, 100 percent of students from grades 1-12 will study English under the first three levels of the program by 2035, while more advanced levels (four through six) will be introduced by 2045.

At the university level, all institutions will adopt English as the second language, applying higher proficiency levels. In vocational education, institutions will implement career-oriented English programs, with half of them teaching portions of other subjects in English.

In addition to developing teacher training materials and upgrading infrastructure, the plan will involve financial support and collaboration with language experts. From 23 to 29 April, Ho Chi Minh City conducted an online test to assess the English proficiency of 47,000 public school teachers, using the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) standards. This is part of the broader effort to enhance teacher proficiency and align it with global standards.

Deputy Minister Thuong emphasized the importance of English in enabling Vietnam’s deeper integration into the global community. He also highlighted the role of digital transformation and technology in bridging regional gaps, saving time, and reducing the demand for a large workforce in the education sector. 

The ultimate goal of this project is to improve English proficiency across the country, strengthen Vietnam’s workforce competitiveness, and support the country’s ongoing development and global integration

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