The Central Steering Committee tasked with reviewing the implementation of Resolution 18 has issued new directives for reorganizing public service units, state-owned enterprises, and internal structures within political and administrative organizations across Vietnam.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh, Vice Chairman of the Steering Committee, recently signed Plan No. 130 outlining the restructuring of public service units, state enterprises, and internal organizational bodies within the government system.

According to the plan, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government offices, and provincial People’s Committees are required to implement specific actions.

Administrative restructuring at the national and local level

At the central level, ministries and sectors are urged to continue streamlining their internal apparatus, especially departments and general departments, to eliminate duplication of functions and responsibilities.

The Steering Committee emphasized the strict enforcement of the policy prohibiting the establishment of internal divisions within departments. Exceptions may be considered only in special cases involving newly merged departments consisting of at least three former units or with staffing of 45 or more. In such cases, divisions may be formed as long as they meet the required minimum of 15 personnel per division.

Provincial and municipal authorities must urgently review and issue regulations defining the roles, responsibilities, and organizational structures of newly merged units and agencies at the provincial and local levels. Adjustments should be proposed to eliminate redundancy and ensure all essential functions are covered.

Restructuring public service units

The plan calls for continued evaluation and consolidation of internal structures within public service units to ensure leaner and more effective operations for the delivery of public services.

Non-core public service units should be retained only if they are central to the ministry or sector’s mission, meet the criteria for establishment under current regulations, and align with the national service network. Units meeting these conditions may be converted into joint-stock companies if eligible under law.

The Steering Committee also proposed the development of advanced training institutions and centers focused on artificial intelligence. Existing vocational schools must be restructured to meet efficiency and quality standards. Management responsibilities for these institutions should be delegated to local governments.

In higher education, universities and research institutions that fail to meet standards should be merged or dissolved. Intermediate layers of administration should be eliminated to improve governance efficiency. Research institutes may be merged with universities, and some universities transferred to local management.

High schools and vocational centers to remain mostly intact

Public high schools, middle schools, primary schools, integrated schools, and kindergartens will largely remain unchanged. Adjustments can be made where necessary to better serve student and community needs.

In mountainous and remote ethnic minority regions, smaller satellite schools should be consolidated into central boarding or semi-boarding schools located in commune or inter-commune centers.

The Steering Committee recommends merging continuing education centers and vocational training centers into high school-equivalent technical schools under the Department of Education and Training. Each province or city should maintain no more than three vocational schools dedicated to training skilled labor for local economic development and investment attraction. This does not include schools that are financially self-sufficient.

Healthcare facilities under review

Public hospitals at the provincial level will generally remain in place, with stronger socialization encouraged where feasible. Each locality should have at least one specialized hospital and one geriatric hospital or a general hospital with a geriatrics department.

The Ministry of Health will retain direct management of high-tech specialty hospitals, which will provide leadership in medical training, scientific research, and the transfer of medical technologies. Other hospitals under the Ministry may be transferred to provincial management.

Local governments are required to establish new health stations in communes, wards, and special zones under their direct control, based on existing health stations. These facilities will handle preventive care and basic medical treatment for the community.

District-level health centers and general hospitals are to be transferred to the authority of provincial health departments to better serve the healthcare needs of inter-commune areas.

Reorganization across other public sectors

In agriculture, environment, science and technology, project management, land development, and site clearance, relevant agencies must also restructure their public service units to improve efficiency and reduce overlapping functions. Each unit should be capable of delivering multiple related public services, eliminating fragmentation and redundancy.

For specialized agencies under provincial People’s Committees, all departments (excluding education and health) should maintain only one public service unit that supports state management functions. Other units must be financially self-reliant.

State-owned enterprise reform

The Steering Committee proposes developing large-scale domestic digital technology enterprises to lead infrastructure development and drive the national digital transformation strategy. These enterprises must be competitive at the international level.

State-owned enterprises should focus exclusively on critical, strategic sectors, national defense and security, and regions where private investment is absent. Restructuring, equitization, and divestment must adhere to this strategic focus.

Provincial governments are required to submit restructuring plans for public service units within their jurisdictions by sector and field to the Party Committee of the Government for approval and to the Ministry of Home Affairs for compilation by September 25.

Likewise, ministries and ministerial-level agencies must submit their respective restructuring plans for public service units under their authority for consideration and compilation by the same deadline.

Tran Thuong