I.

INTRODUCTION
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost country on
the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. With an estimated 94.6 million inhabitants
as of 2016, it is the world's 14th-most-populous country, and the ninth-most-populous
Asian country. Vietnam is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the
northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, Thailand across the Gulf of Thailand to the
southwest, and the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia across the South China Sea to
the east and southeast. Its capital city has been Hanoi since
the reunification of North and South Vietnam in 1976, with Ho Chi Minh City as the most
populous city.

II. DESCRIBE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, PROCESS, AND PRACTICES IN

VIETNAM.

Education in Vietnam is a state-run system of public and private education run by

the Ministry of Education and Training. It is divided into five levels: preschool, primary
school, secondary school, high school, and higher education. Formal education consists
of twelve years of basic education. Basic education consists of five years of primary
education, four years of intermediate education, and three years of secondary
education. The majority of basic education students are enrolled on a half-day basis.
The main education goal in Vietnam is "improving people’s general knowledge, training
quality human resources, and nurturing and fostering talent”.
Pre-school or kindergarten, which is optional is offered from the age of around 18
months, in Vietnam, with compulsory schooling from the age of six. Only five years of
primary education are considered mandatory. After primary school, children move on to
lower secondary education and upper secondary education. It isn’t compulsory, places
are available in kindergartens which are mainly in large cities, for children aged between
around 18 months and five years old, with fees usually payable. Many internationals
schools also offer pre-K education, for very young children, at a cost. From the age of
six, it’s compulsory to attend primary school in Vietnam. Although the compulsory
schooling lasts for only a short five years, it’s well attended with over 95% of children
enrolling for at least of the primary years. This stage of schooling is provided free of
charge. Primary school lasts for five grades, and the curriculum is broad, covering basic
skills, physical education ad Vietnamese language. Moral studies are also included in
the primary syllabus. Usually foreign languages don’t begin until secondary level. Middle
Education, following that they may enter intermediate education although this is not
compulsory. If they do, they spend 4 years discovering traditional subjects like
languages, math and science in preparation for their remaining 3 years at secondary
school. They can learn their own history where they can learn more and be globally
competitive.

Secondary education in Vietnam is split into two programs-lower secondary runs

for students aged 11 to 15, and upper secondary caters to students who have
graduated the lower program and want to stay in education until age 18. Students can
choose to study either a science based program, or an arts and humanities program. At
this age, there’s usually the option of studying a second language, which might be
English, French or Chinese. Following an entrance examination that determines the
quality of secondary school that they will be allowed to enter, students follow a
compulsory school curriculum in which they must complete a wide range of programs in
order to graduate. These subjects include Literature/Reading, Mathematics, Calculus,
Geometry, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Civics, Foreign
Languages, Technology, Information Technology, Physical Education, and Social
Studies. Prestigious schools add advanced courses in Natural and Social Sciences.
As well as the regular secondary schools, there are specific schools for gifted
students. Competition for these schools is extremely fierce. This level of education isn’t
considered compulsory in Vietnam, and students must take an entrance exam to get a
place. The curriculum is demanding and reforms have been suggested to make it less
pressure for students.
Vocational Education, the Vietnamese authorities have struggled to weld
hundreds of vocational colleges into an effective mechanism capable of meeting the
labor requirements of a rapidly emerging economy. Two broad programs are offered.
These are 1-3 years vocational training, and 2 - 3 years vocational & technical
education. Quality is monitored centrally. They want to be ready in a mew technological
world. Tertiary Education, securing a place at university with a high secondary school
grade, and in addition high entrance examination marks is an essential career step,
especially for young people from poor or disadvantaged communities. They may leave
following completion of an undergraduate degree, or remain on for 2-year doctors or 4-
year masters qualifications. The 11 private universities account for just 11% of the total.
Although popular, these face challenges in terms of quality and affordability, and, of
course legendary Vietnamese red tape too.
There are some fairly low fees charged for education under the state system, for
books and contributions for school equipment, as well as additional costs for uniforms,
transport and school material. If you don’t choose the state system and decide to find a
private international school, the costs are high. Vietnam has a range of international
schools, mainly in the major cities, teaching in English and the other major world
languages, international schools often use either the International Baccalaureate
syllabus, a variant of the United States standard curriculum or use a curriculum or exam
schedule from another country such as Britain or Australia. International schools are
generally of a high standard, and therefore are typically competitive. You may find that
testing and interviews are necessary to secure admission or be placed on a waitlist for a
popular school.

III. ANALYZE AND EXPLAIN HOW EDUCATIONAL POLICIES IMPACT TO

THE COUNTRY’S PROGRESS/DEVELOPMENT

Demonstrated commitment to education. Vietnam's commitment to education is

visible in sizeable public and private investments and rising attainment levels. The belief
that a healthy mix of education and hard work is the key to success, where children are
seemingly always route to school or supplemental classes. They give importance in
education to discipline their humanity to get the success that they want.

Improvements in school and teacher quality. In recent years, Vietnam has expanded
enrollment while defining and enforcing minimum quality standards for school facilities
countrywide. Teacher quality also matters, and Vietnam has laid a solid foundation by
professionalizing its teaching force and establishing standards around teacher content
knowledge, skills, and dispositions. The value that Vietnamese culture places on
teachers surely helps. Like all the countries in the world, Vietnam surely give priority in
their schools facilities. They want a teacher who is very knowledgeable about their
country to uplift the love of the students on their own countries. While curricular reform
is an important step, the resulting change in classroom instruction is what matters.
Ensuring policies and practices are aligned across the education system will require
close attention to how the new curriculum is taught (and assessed).

Outwards orientation to keep the system evolving. Vietnam eagerly takes inspiration
from abroad. Its experts regularly study curriculum reform in high-performing countries
like Korea and Singapore. The country also participates in several initiatives focused on
developing innovative teaching methods (such as the Escuela Nueva pilot adapted from
Colombia) and deeper learning skills (including these ASEAN seminars). In addition,
new K–12 and higher education reforms incorporate lessons learned from previous
reforms. Like the Philippines they have the K-12 to have a students who can be globally
competitive. The next step for Vietnam is to provide better quality schooling that fosters
higher-order cognitive and behavioral skills (such as creative and critical thinking) for
more young people. Accordingly, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) is
working with K–12 educators on an ambitious reform to design coherent, focused, high-
quality curricular standards that optimize learning and promote the competencies
needed to master content and apply knowledge.
 IV. COMPARE IN THE PHILIPPIN SETTING
A. WHAT TYPES OF GOVERNMENT THE COUNTRY HAS?

Vietnam has a communist government and is one of the four remaining one-party

socialist states in the world today. The president is the head of the republic, and the
prime minister is the head of the government. It has three branches, the executive
which is administered by the government and the president, the legislative which
consists of the national assembly of Vietnam and the judiciary comprises of the courts.
Elections in Vietnam take place after every five years and all people aged 18, and
above have the constitutional right to vote and elect members of their choice. People
aged 21 and above have the right to vie for positions and be voted into the national
assembly. Elections commissions oversee the election process; the election council at
the central level, the electoral commission at the provincial level and the election
commission at the constituency level.

Philippines has a unitary state presidential, representative, and democratic

republic, the President is both the head of state and government in the Philippines. The
Philippines is a unitary state with the President as both the head of state and the head
of government. The government of the Philippines is made up of three interdependent
branches which are the legislative, the executive, and the judicial system.

B. EDUCATIONAL HISTORY
VIETNAM
EDUCATIONAL ROOTS: FEUDAL PERIOD (up to the late 19 th century.
Vietnam’s educational culture was sparked by Chinese influence, the roots of education
come from the country’s belief in Confucianism (Mongabay, 1987). Confucius taught
that man is at the center of the universe, but that man cannot be alone; he finds
happiness in community with others. He also taught the belief that everyone has the
same potential to be educated, and therefore education should be available to
everyone. Vietnam was therefore constructed to be a collectivist country, meaning that
individuals are less important than the whole (Yee, 2002). Community is extremely
important, so education is seen as a way to create a community of good citizens instead
of a way for one to advance personally. The Vietnamese believe that one of the
traditional values of the Vietnamese people is the promotion of learning and the respect
for teachers. In the Feudal and Colonial periods, teachers were seen to have more
importance than parents; their position was “only lower than the king”.
French Colonization (late 19th- mid-20th century). With this change in power, the
Confucian-oriented education that had been built and maintained by the Vietnamese
was replaced with French-Vietnamese education, with the goal of training people to
serve the colonial system. The French built elementary schools, primary schools,
primary colleges, secondary schools, and three universities, all with French as the
dominant language of instruction. However there were not very many schools built, so
there was extremely limited access to education during this period in Vietnam’s history.
“With such an education system, 95% of Vietnamese people were illiterate. Growing
frustration led to the country’s independence in the mid-20 th century.
Independence to Reunification (1945-1975). On September 2, 1945, Vietnamese
gained independence from France. President Ho Chi Minh decided that the three key
priorities of the new, independent government would be “fighting against poverty,
illiteracy, and invaders” His new driving philosophy for education was “an illiterate nation
is a powerless one” and, in October 1945, he issues a “Call for anti-illiteracy” The
president’s call was a success: within one year 75 thousand literacy classes were
established with about 96 thousand teachers to help 2.5 million people learn to read and
write. During the years of resistance (1946-1954), schools operated in demilitarized
areas. They stopped teaching in French and created curriculum in Vietnamese. The
government passed an education reform in 1950 with the goal of reducing the years of
general education and concentrating on reading, writing, and calculating skills. Once
peace was reached and Vietnam was completely independent from France (1954), the
government began preparing for a new education reform in order to help rebuild the
economy and to reunite the whole country (Kelly, 2000). The focus of the new reform
was to train young people to become “future citizens, loyal to the people’s democracy
regime, and competent to serve people and the resistance war” The French 12-year-
based curriculum and the first reform’s 9-year-based curriculum were combined to settle
on a 10-year system. This new system was somewhat similar to that of USSR, following
the influence of communism in Vietnam with the results from the Vietnam War. The US,
who had been aiding South Vietnam, withdrew in 1973, and a cease-fire agreement was
signed by both sides. In 1975, North Vietnam overran South Vietnam, Re-uniting the
country under Communist rule.
After the War, Pre-reform (1975-1985). In April 1975, when Vietnam was
proclaimed as one, unified nation, the government took on two focuses in regards to
education: (1) the removal of leftover influences from the old education system and (2)
the implementation of anti-illiteracy activities for people in the age group of 12-50 years
old. The Ministry of Education decided to implement a 12-year system and they quickly
printed and sent out 20 million print materials to schools in South Vietnam. They also
began to nationalize private schools and cut out religious influences in education.
Though the goal of these acts was to improve education, there were a number of
challenges with the implementation of the government’s goals. The government wanted
to universalize and nationalize curriculum to have all schools accept a centralized
educational system. As the country was trying to unify in other areas as well, such as
economically and socially, and was experiencing isolation from foreign resources,
funding for the new initiatives was difficult (Mongabay, 1987).  The country experienced
very little economic and social growth for a little over a decade after the return of peace.
The Doi Moi Reform (1986). After the unification of North and South Vietnam, the
government took control over all aspects of the country, cutting out private companies
and the free market. This created issues for businesses as well as for farmers. With the
centralization of power, agriculture suffered, and the country was no longer producing
enough rice to feed its population. The government decided to open up more room for
diversity and allow a decentralization of the market in 1986 through the “Doi Moi” reform
(Kelly, 2000). “Doi Moi” mean “renovation” or “reconstruction” in Vietnamese
(Mongabay, 1987). Its goal is to increase economic growth and development by
liberating the economy within Vietnam and increasing Vietnam’s contribution to the
global economic community. This includes decentralizing the economy and therefore
removing the communist title of the country and replacing it with a more market-driven,
socialist system (Mongabay, 1987). As far as education is concerned, the Doi Moi
reform means more funding for institutions and a higher percentage of government
funds allocated to the education system (Kelly, 2000). It has also allowed for more
privatization of institutions: “semi-public” and “people-funded” institutions are rising in
popularity, and non-public education is especially popular at the pre-school level as well
as the technical and vocational training level. In 1998, Vietnam passed its first law on
education, to solidify the objectives of the “Doi Moi” reform and provide a legal
framework for the development of education(IRED, 2011). A few years later, the
government realized that this law needed to be modified in order to increase
accessibility of education. A new, amended education law was passed in 2005. This law
cut out the use of “semi-public schools” and allows for public, people-funded, and
private schools. It also made education universal for the primary education and lower
secondary education, where the 1998 law only had universal primary education. Later,
in 2012, upper secondary education was also made universal (IRED, 2011).

PHILIPPINES
Pre-colonial period. During the pre-colonial period, most children were provided
with solely vocational training, which was supervised by parents, tribal tutors or those
assigned for specific, specialized roles within their communities (for example,
the baybayin). In most communities, stories, songs, poetry, dances, medicinal practices
and advice regarding all sorts of community life issues were passed from generation to
generation mostly through oral tradition. Some communities utilized a writing system
known as baybayin, whose use was wide and varied, though there are other syllabaries
used throughout the archipelago.
Spanish period. Formal education was brought to the Philippines by the
Spaniards, which was conducted mostly by religious orders. Upon learning the local
languages and writing systems, they began teaching Christianity, the Spanish language,
and Spanish culture. These religious orders opened the first schools and universities as
early as the 16th century. Spanish missionaries established schools immediately after
reaching the islands. The Augustinians opened a parochial school in Cebu in 1565.
The Franciscans, took to the task of improving literacy in 1577, aside from the teaching
of new industrial and agricultural techniques. The Jesuits followed in 1581, as well as
the Dominicans in 1587, setting up a school in Bataan. The church and the school
cooperated to ensure that Christian villages had schools for students to attend.
Schools for boys and for girls were then opened. Colegios were opened for boys,
ostensibly the equivalent to present day senior high schools. The Universidad de San
Ignacio, founded in Manila by the Jesuits in 1589 was the first colegio. Eventually, it was
incorporated into the University of Santo Tomas, College of Medicine and
Pharmacology following the suppression of the Jesuits. Girls had two types of schools -
the beaterio, a school meant to prepare them for the convent, and another, meant to
prepare them for secular womanhood. The Spanish also introduced printing presses to
produce books in Spanish and Tagalog, sometimes using baybayin. The first book
printed in the Philippines dates back to 1590. It was a Chinese language version
of Doctrina Christiana. Spanish and Tagalog versions, in both Latin script and the locally
used baybayin script, were later printed in 1593. In 1610, Tomas Pinpin, a Filipino
printer, writer and publisher, who is sometimes referred to as the "Patriarch of Filipino
Printing", wrote his famous "Librong Pagaaralan nang manga Tagalog nang Uicang
Castilla", which was meant to help Filipinos learn the Spanish language. The
Educational Decree of 1863 provided a free public education system in the Philippines,
managed by the government. The decree mandated the establishment of at least one
primary school for boys and one for girls in each town under the responsibility of the
municipal government, and the establishment of a normal school for male teachers
under the supervision of the Jesuits. Primary education was also declared free and
available to every Filipino, regardless of race or social class. Contrary to what
the propaganda of the Spanish–American War tried to depict, they were not religious
schools; rather, they are schools that were established, supported, and maintained by
the Spanish government. After the implementation of the decree, the number of schools
and students increased steadily. In 1866, the total population of the Philippines was
4,411,261. The total number of public schools for boys was 841, and the number of
public schools for girls was 833. The total number of children attending those schools
was 135,098 for boys, and 95,260 for girls. In 1892, the number of schools had
increased to 2,137, of which 1,087 were for boys, and 1,050 for girls. By 1898,
enrollment in schools at all levels exceeded 200,000 students.
Among those who benefited from the free public education system were a
burgeoning group of Filipino intellectuals: the Ilustrados ('enlightened ones'), some of
whom included José Rizal, Graciano López Jaena, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Mariano
Ponce, and Antonio Luna—all of whom played vital roles in the Propaganda
Movement that ultimately inspired the founding of the Katipunan.
First Republic. The defeat of Spain following the Spanish–American War led to the
short-lived Philippine Independence movement, which established the insurgent First
Philippine Republic. The schools maintained by Spain for more than three centuries
were closed briefly, but were reopened on August 29, 1898 by the Secretary of Interior.
The Burgos Institute (the country's first law school), the Academia Militar (the country's
first military academy), and the Literary University of the Philippines were established.
Article 23 of the Constitution mandated that public education would be free and
obligatory in all schools of the nation under the First Philippine Republic. However,
the Philippine–American War hindered its progress.
American period. About a year after having secured Manila, the Americans were
keen to open up seven schools with army servicemen teaching with army command-
selected books and supplies. In the same year, 1899, more schools were opened, this
time, with 24 English-language teachers and 4500 students. In that system, basic
education consisted of 6 years elementary and 4 years secondary schooling which, until
recently, prepared students for tertiary level instruction for them to earn a degree that
would secure them a job later on in life. A highly centralized, experimental public school
system was installed in 1901 by the Philippine Commission and legislated by Act No.
74. The law exposed a severe shortage of qualified teachers, brought about by large
enrollment numbers in schools. As a result, the Philippine Commission authorized the
Secretary of Public Instruction to bring more than 1,000 teachers from the United
States, who were called the Thomasites, to the Philippines between 1901 and 1902.
These teachers were scattered throughout the islands to establish barangay schools.
The same law established the Philippine Normal School (now the Philippine Normal
University) to train aspiring Filipino teachers.
The high school system was supported by provincial governments and included
special educational institutions, schools of arts and trades, an agricultural school, and
commerce and marine institutes, which were established in 1902 by the Philippine
Commission. Several other laws were passed throughout the period. In 1902, Act No.
372 authorized the opening of provincial high schools. 1908 marked the year when Act
No. 1870 initiated the opening of the University of the Philippines, now the
country's national university.
The emergence of high school education in the Philippines, however, did not occur
until 1910. It was borne out of rising numbers in enrollment, widespread economic
depression, and a growing demand by big businesses and technological advances in
factories and the emergence of electrification for skilled workers. In order to meet this
new job demand, high schools were created and the curriculum focused on practical job
skills that would better prepare students for professional white collar or skilled blue
collar work. This proved to be beneficial for both the employer and the employee; the
investment in human capital caused employees to become more efficient, which
lowered costs for the employer, and skilled employees received a higher wage than
those employees with just primary educational attainment.
However, a steady increase in enrollment in schools appeared to have hindered any
revisions to then-implemented experimental educational system. Act No. 1381, also
known as Gabaldon Law, was passed in 1907, which provided a fund of a million pesos
for construction of concrete school buildings and is one of many attempts by the
government to meet this demand. In line as well with the Filipinization policy of the
government, the Reorganization Act of 1916 provided that all department secretaries
except the Secretary of Public Instruction must be a natural-born Filipino.
A series of revisions (in terms of content, length, and focus) to the curriculum began
in 1924, the year the Monroe Survey Commission released its findings. After having
convened in the period from 1906 to 1918, what was simply an advisory committee on
textbooks was officiated in 1921 as the Board on Textbooks through Act No. 2957. The
Board was faced with difficulties, however, even up to the 1940s, but because financial
problems hindered the possibility of newer adaptations of books.
Third Republic. In 1947, after the United States relinquished all its authority over the
Philippines, President Manuel Roxas issued Executive Order No. 94 which renamed
Department of Instruction into Department of Education. During this period, the
regulation and supervision of public and private schools belonged to the Bureau of
Public and Private Schools.
Fourth Republic. In 1972, the Department of Education became the Department of
Education and Culture (DECS) under Proclamation 1081, which was signed
by President Ferdinand Marcos. On September 24, 1972, by Presidential Decree No. 1,
DECS was decentralized with decision-making shared among its thirteen regional
offices. Following a referendum of all barangays in the Philippines from January 10–15,
1973, President Marcos ratified the 1973 Constitution by Proclamation 1102 on January
17, 1973. The 1973 Constitution set out the three fundamental aims of education in the
Philippines:

 to foster love of country;

 to teach the duties of citizenship; and
 to develop moral character, self-discipline, and scientific, technological and
vocational efficiency.
In 1978, by the Presidential Decree No. 1397, DECS became the Ministry of
Education and Culture. The Education Act of 1982 provided for an integrated system of
education covering both formal and non-formal education at all levels. Section 29 of the
act sought to upgrade educational institutions' standards to achieve "quality education"
through voluntary accreditation for schools, colleges, and universities. Section 16 and
Section 17 upgraded the obligations and qualifications required for teachers and
administrators. Section 41 provided for government financial assistance to private
schools. This act also created the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports.
Fifth Republic. A new constitution was ratified on February 2, 1987, and entered
into force of February 11. Section 3, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution contains the
ten fundamental aims of education in the Philippines. Section 2(2), Article XIV of the
1987 Constitution made elementary school compulsory for all children. In 1987, the
Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports became again the DECS under Executive
Order No. 117. The structure of DECS as embodied in the order remained practically
unchanged until 1994.
On May 26, 1988, the Congress of the Philippines enacted the Republic Act 6655
or the Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988, which mandated free public
secondary education commencing in the school year 1988–1989. On February 3, 1992,
the Congress enacted Republic Act 7323, which provided that students aged 15 to 25
may be employed during their Christmas vacation and vacation with a salary not lower
than the minimum wage—with 60% of the wage paid by the employer and 40% by the
government.
The Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) report of 1991
recommended the division of DECS into three parts. On May 18, 1994, the Congress
passed Republic Act 7722 or the Higher Education Act of 1994, creating the
Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which assumed the functions of the Bureau
of Higher Education and supervised tertiary degree programs. On August 25, 1994, the
Congress passed Republic Act 7796 or the Technical Education and Skills
Development Act of 199, creating the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA), which absorbed the Bureau of Technical-Vocational Education as
well as the National Manpower and Youth Council, and began to supervise non-degree
technical-vocational programs. DECS retained responsibility for all elementary and
secondary education. This threefold division became known as the "trifocal system of
education" in the Philippines.
In August 2001, Republic Act 9155, otherwise called the Governance of Basic
Education Act, was passed. This act changed the name of DECS to the current
Department of Education (DepEd) and redefined the role of field offices (regional
offices, division offices, district offices and schools). The act provided the overall
framework for school empowerment by strengthening the leadership roles of
headmasters and fostering transparency and local accountability for school
administrations. The goal of basic education was to provide the school age population
and young adults with skills, knowledge, and values to become caring, self-reliant,
productive, and patriotic citizens. In 2005, the Philippines spent about US$138 per pupil,
compared to US$3,728 in Japan, US$1,582 in Singapore and US$852 in Thailand. In
2006, the Education for All (EFA) 2015 National Action Plan was implemented. It states.
In terms of secondary level education, all children aged twelve to fifteen, are sought to
be on track to completing the schooling cycle with satisfactory achievement levels at
every year. In January 2009, the Department of Education signed a memorandum of
agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to
seal $86 million assistance to Philippine education, particularly the access to quality
education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and
the Western and Mindanao regions
C. HOW IT PROGRESS UNTIL THE PRESENT?
From 1918 until now, Vietnam’s education program has adopted the western
educational system with three levels: elementary, high school, and college. At all levels,
the Vietnamese National Writing (Quoc Ngu) is officially used. Students had (and still do
have) the opportunity to learn literature, history, philosophy, law, science, math,
medicine and as well as other languages. The first university that applied the western
educational system was built in Northern Viet Nam, Hanoi, in 1919 (medicine school)
and 1933 (law school). Toward 1975, the estimated population in Southern Viet Nam
was 25 million people, but there were 3 state universities built in cities of Hue, Saigon,
Can Tho. In parallel with the state universities, four private universities were also built:
Three in Saigon were Van Hanh, Minh Duc, and Tri Hanh Universities. One in Dalat was
named after the city. They all offered various choices in curriculum similar to most
modern universities around the world. In addition, each year thousands of Vietnamese
students studied abroad in countries such as the United States, France, Germany and
Australia.
  Before the 1950s, poverty was a major impediment to learning, and secondary
and higher education were beyond the reach of all but a small number of upper class
people. Subsequently, however, rival regimes in Hanoi and Saigon broadened
educational opportunities. Both governments accomplished this despite the shortage of
teachers, textbooks, equipment, and classrooms and despite the disruptions of war in
the 1960s and early 1970s. The school system was originally patterned after the French
model, but the curriculum was revised to give more emphasis to Vietnamese history,
language, and literature and, in Hanoi, to the teaching of revolutionary ethics and
Marxism-Leninism.
While Philippines, in 2010, then-Senator Benigno Aquino III expressed his desire
to implement the K–12 basic education cycle to increase the number of years of
compulsory education to thirteen years. According to him, this will "give everyone an
equal chance to succeed" and "have quality education and profitable jobs". After further
consultations and studies, the government under President Aquino formally adopted the
K–6–4–2 basic education system—one year of kindergarten, six years of elementary
education, four years of junior high school education and two years of senior high
school education. Kindergarten was formally made compulsory by virtue of the
Kindergarten Education Act of 2012, while the further twelve years were officially put
into law by virtue of the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. Although DepEd has
already implemented the K–12 Program since SY 2011–2012, it was still enacted into
law to guarantee its continuity in the succeeding years.
The former system of basic education in the Philippines consists of one-year
preschool education, six-year elementary education and four-year high school
education. Although public preschool, elementary and high school education are
provided free, only primary education is stipulated as compulsory according to the 1987
Philippine Constitution. Pre-primary education caters to children aged five. A child aged
six may enter elementary schools with, or without pre-primary education. Following on
from primary education is four-years of secondary education, which can theoretically be
further divided into three years of lower secondary and one year of upper secondary
education. Ideally, a child enters secondary education at the age of 12. After completing
their secondary education, students may progress to a technical education and skills
development to earn a certificate or a diploma within one to three years, depending on
the skill. Students also have the option to enroll in higher education programs to earn a
baccalaureate degree.
D. HOW LONG DOES EDUCATION TAKE PLACE IN THE COUNTRY?
The school year in the Vietnamese state system runs from August or September
through May or June, although the exact dates vary slightly according to the specific
school preferences. The year is split into two semesters. Usually schools run Monday to
Saturday, with students attending six days a week, but only for half of each day. This is
partly to alleviate crowding, as the school can effectively run a shift system. With some
children attending in the morning, and different students coming for the afternoon. It’s
worth noting that this calendar applies to state schools only - in private and international
schools the western standard calendar, with a long summer break and several weeks’
vacation at Christmas, is far more likely to be adopted.
Some of the schools in the Philippines starts from June and ends in March or
April in secondary. They have a vacation like semestral break in the month of October
and starts again in the first week of November and the Christmas Vacation. While, in
Tertiary some schools starts from August and ends in the month of May or June. They
also have semestral break from first week of December and end in the month of
January.
E. WHAT ARE THE LEVELS OF EDUCATION?
VIETNAM
 In Vietnam, a school year is divided into two semesters: the first begins in late
August and ends in December, while the second begins right after the first, which is
about late January and lasts until the end of May.

LEVEL/GRADE TYPICAL AGE

SCHOOL

PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP 3-4

KINDERGARTEN 4-6

PRIMARY EDUCATION

FIRST GRADE 6-7

SECOND GRADE 7-8

THIRD GRADE 8-9

FOURTH GRADE 9-10

FIFTH GRADE 10-11

SECONDARY HIGH SCHOOL

SIXTH GRADE 11–12

SEVENTH GRADE 12-13

EIGHTH GRADE 13–14

NINTH GRADE 14-15

HIGH SCHOOL

TENTH GRADE 15–16

ELEVENTH GRADE 16–17

TWELFTH GRADE 17–18

POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY[A] AGES VARY (USUALLY 4 YEARS)

COLLEGE[A] AGES VARY (USUALLY 2 YEARS)

POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

MASTER AGES VARY (USUALLY 2 YEARS)

PH.D AGES VARY (USUALLY 2 YEARS)

PHILIPPINES
Primary Education. Paaralang Elementarya or elementary education is the first
part of the educational system, and it includes the first six years of compulsory
education from grade 1 to 6, with an optional 7th grade offered by some schools. Major
subjects include math, science, English, Filipino and social sciences. Optional subjects
include music, arts, physical education, and health. Private school students may select
subjects from a wider curriculum including religious instruction in the dogma of their
choice. Until 2004, primary students traditionally sat for the National Elementary
Achievement Test (NEAT) administered by the Department of Education, Culture and
Sports (DECS). However, the scores obtained by students in the NEAT were not used
as a basis for their admission into Secondary school. During 2004, when DECS was
officially converted into the Department of Education (DepEd), and as a result of
reorganization, the NEAT was changed to National Achievement Test (NAT) by the
Department of Education (DepEd). Students from both public and private elementary
schools take this exam to measure a school's competency. As of 2006, only private
schools have entrance examinations for Secondary school. Middle Education a part of
Primary (or Elementary) Education
 Secondary Education known as Paaralang Sekundarya comprises 4 grades that
have changed little since the Second World War. The curriculum is prescribed for both
private and state schools. Core subjects are as follows:

 Year 1 - Filipino 1, Algebra 1, Integrated Science, English 1, Philippine History

 Year 2 - Filipino 2, Algebra 2, Biology, English 2, Asian History
 Year 3 - Filipino 3, Geometry, Chemistry, World History, Geography
 Year 4 - Filipino 4, Calculus, Trigonometry, Physics, Literature, Economics

Minor optional subjects include Health, Music, Arts, Physical Education, Home
Economics and Technology. Selected schools present additional subjects. Total
secondary school numbers exceed 5.5 million.
Vocational Education. Accredited mainly private institutions known as colleges
offer technical and vocational education. Programs offered vary in duration from a few
weeks to two-year diplomas. On completion students may take centrally-administered
examinations to obtain their diploma or certificate.
Vocational colleges don’t usually require an entrance examination, only a record of high
school education and an enrollment fee.
Tertiary Education. Most institutions of higher learning are regulated by the
commission for higher education. Colleges typically offer 1 or more specialized
programs while universities must offer at least 8 different undergraduate degree
programs in a wide array of subjects and at least 2 graduate programs. Public
universities are all non-sectarian and offer a wide-range of programs, with English as a
medium of instruction. Public universities are government funded, with the largest, the
University of the Philippines, receiving the substantial portion of the annual budget.
There are also a number of private tertiary institutions, sectarian or non-sectarian as
well as for-profit or not-for-profit. Most private institutions are Catholic non-profit
organizations.

F. WHAT ARE THE PROGRAMS IN DIFFERENT LEARNING AREAS

IMPLEMENTED AND SUSTAINED IN THE COUNTRY?
The following are the core VEF activities: (1) Fellowship Program, bringing
Vietnamese nationals to the United States for graduate degree programs, funded
through cost-sharing agreements with U.S. universities; (2) Visiting Scholar Program,
funding Vietnamese nationals with a Ph.D. To develop their professional skills via
studies, research, and/or observational activities at leading U.S. institutions; and (3)
U.S. Faculty Scholar Program, providing grants to American professors to teach
courses at Vietnamese institutions for one or two semesters, on-site in Vietnam or via
interactive, real-time videoconferencing. VEF capacity-building efforts build the
relationship between U.S. and Vietnamese institutions and government entities and
strengthen the foundations in Vietnam for the return of VEF Fellows and Visiting
Scholars to their home-country.
The programs focus on the major disciplines of sciences (natural, physical, and
environmental), mathematics, medicine (such as public health, epidemiology, and
immunology), engineering, and technology (including information technology). Fields
include the basic sciences, such as biology, chemistry, and physics, as well as
agricultural science and computer science. Priority will be given to applicants, whose
field of study focuses on climate change (environmental sciences) or on nuclear energy,
provided that all other qualifications are equal.
The Philippines, as of 2014, the project contributed to achieving encouraging
results under BESRA: Between 2005 to 2013, spending for public education almost
tripled while spending per basic education student increased by around two-thirds,
resulting in increased resources to improve access to basic education services
especially of the poor and disadvantaged and to improve quality of learning. The
elementary participation rate for 6-11 year olds increased from 88.58% in 2005 to
95.24% by 2013.The overall enrollment numbers also improved from 13 million to 14.4
million from 2005 to 2013. This is a substantial figure given that a substantial portion of
the enrollment increase was largely from the poorest households. The Grade 6 mean
percentage score in math, science, Filipino, English and social studies improved from
54.66% in 2005 to 66.9% by school year 2012-2013, based on the National
Achievement test. The high school participation rate for 12-15 years improved from
61.16% from 2005 to 64.8% by 2013.High school enrollment numbers also showed
improvement from 6.3 to 7 million from 2005 to 2013. This is also significant since there
were more children attending school from poor households. There were improvements
in math, Filipino and social studies from 46.66% in 2005 to 47.93% by 2013 based on
the National Achievement test scores for Year 2.
G. WHAT FIELD OF EXPERTISE ON THE EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES ARE
THEY KNOWN/FAMOUS AT?

Vietnam is known for its rigorous curriculum that is deemed as competitive for
students. Secondary education is one of the most significant social issues in the
country: designated schools known as "High schools for the gifted" are regarded as
prestigious and often demand high entrance examination results. Higher education is
also a fundamental cornerstone in Vietnamese society. Entrance to university is
determined through the National High School Graduation Examination, whose results
will be considered for evaluation. The higher the score is, the more prestigious the
institution will be. Failure to attend university often leads to social stigma, as those who
could not pass the Graduation Examination would be looked down upon by members of
society.
 There’s the Temple of Literature in Hanoi. Besides being the first university
of Vietnam, this tourist attraction is famous for featuring stone boards with the names of
ancient Vietnamese doctors. Hundreds of years have passed, but their names are still
there for all to admire. There’s the Temple of Literature in Hanoi. Besides being the first
university of Vietnam, this tourist attraction is famous for featuring stone boards with the
names of ancient Vietnamese doctors. Hundreds of years have passed, but their names
are still there for all to admire. The Vietnamese love people who are good at studying.
Becoming a doctor was the perfect image of success in old Vietnamese society. After
national competitions, the winners often received good job offers from the emperor. The
family of that poor farmer boy could become an upper class family. That’s why parents
and wives invested all their hope, effort and money in the family’s “student”. Studying
was considered one of very few ways to change your life and that of your family. This
mentality hasn’t changed much, at least for most Vietnamese. You often hear people
ask each other: “Does your child study well?” or “He/she has not even finished her
university degree; what can he/ she do?” It seems that for many Vietnamese, studying
still means one of the rare ways to have a good future

H. LIST INSTITUTIONS IN THE COUNTRY WHICH OFFER BASIC EDUCATION

OR TERTIARY.

All the schools in Vietnam are International and teach in English or another expat
language. Here's a big list of all the schools.
  ISHCMC – International School Ho Chi Minh City
Founded in 1993, the International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) is
the oldest and most established international school in Ho Chi Minh City. 
ISHCMC is a non-denominational, co-educational and multicultural
international school with over 45 nationalities represented.
 Australian International School
“AIS is dedicated to providing an education of the highest quality for our
pupils. Children are encouraged to do their best at whatever they attempt,
and achieve their full potential in all areas. Our staff set the very highest
standards, not only academically, but also in terms of behavior and social
skills.”
 British International School
Firmly established as the international school of choice in Ho Chi Minh
City, the British International School is a selective, independent and co-
educational day school that provides a diverse international education
measured by British standards. Their academic programs, exceptional
teaching staff, and personalized approach to learning has fostered a
strong reputation for delivering world class results. Additionally, through
their connection to the NAE family of schools, students of BIS HCMC are
able to access unique, life changing opportunities with world leading
institutions such as Juilliard, MIT, and UNICEF. The school has excellent
specialist facilities including gymnasiums, music suites, theatre and
auditoriums and other specific spaces for art, dance and design. 
 American International School
Mission Statement: “For each AIS student to graduate and be able to
participate, contribute and provide leadership in our rapidly changing
global community.

 Wellspring Hanoi International School

The point of view of Wellspring International School begins with an
awareness of the great potential inherent in every child.  Children have a
deeply unique perspective on life, on all that happens in this world each
day. 
I. WHO ARE THE LEADERS IN THE COUNTRY AND IN THE EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM WHO HEPS IN UPLIFTING THE EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE?

President Ho Chi Minh decided that the three key priorities of the new, independent
government would be “fighting against poverty, illiteracy, and invaders” His new driving
philosophy for education was “an illiterate nation is a powerless one” and, in October
1945, he issues a “Call for anti-illiteracy” The president’s call was a success: within one
year 75 thousand literacy classes were established with about 96 thousand teachers to
help 2.5 million people learn to read and write. During the years of resistance (1946-
1954), schools operated in demilitarized areas. They stopped teaching in French and
created curriculum in Vietnamese. The government passed an education reform in 1950
with the goal of reducing the years of general education and concentrating on reading,
writing, and calculating skills.
The school leader, either from kindergarten or primary school, is a bridge
between the provincial and district management level and teachers, as well as with
parents and students. The most important thing is that the school leaders are devoted,
enthusiastic and responsible to obtain quality education. The school leaders should
know how to inspire teachers to provide optimal support to children during the
transition.”
-Principal Le Thi Hieu, Tra Xuan Kindergarten, Tra Bong district, Quang Ngai
province, Vietnam
School principal Hieu became more aware of her important role as an engine to deal
with these challenges: bridging school and families in her community in supporting
children’s transitions from Kindergarten to primary school. She shared the content of the
training with all teachers of her kindergarten during the regular professional teacher
meetings. Once this was done, she integrated the new concepts into the school’s year
plan.
 VIETNAM
EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM

PREPARED BY:
ARIANE LACBANES