According to the programme, all leaders in the central, provincial and district-level agencies must be trained foreign languages and the goal is to have at least 40-60% are able to work with foreigners. All leaders in communal agencies will be trained so that 15-20% will be able to work in an international environment.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Trieu Van Cuong said the leaders must be trained since the current staff can't meet the demands for global integration. "We have completed the programme and are collecting opinions from the state employees and the public," he said.

Their aim is to improve foreign language skills among civil servants to meet the criteria for their titles, job position according to regulations and be able to work in an international environment by 2030 with a vision to 2040.

"Learning a foreign language is necessary. All leaders from communal to central agencies must learn foreign languages for their work. In the coming time, foreign languages will be one of the criteria for civil servants," he said.

Lao Dong/Dtinews