Vietnam plans to reduce the number of public educational institutions by more than 17,000 as part of a nationwide restructuring of its public education system, according to the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET).
The proposed reorganization, based on reports from all 34 provincial and municipal administrations, would reduce the number of public educational institutions from 37,386 to 20,284 - a decrease of 17,102 administrative units, or approximately 45.7%.
The figures were presented at a ministry conference on August 5 reviewing the restructuring of public preschools, general education schools, continuing education centers and vocational education institutions.
Consolidation without reducing access
According to Thai Van Tai, Director General of MOET's Department of General Education, all 34 local governments had submitted restructuring plans by August 4, following reviews of their local school networks.
Most of the reduction will come through administrative consolidation rather than school closures.
Local authorities plan to establish more multi-level schools, convert existing schools into branch campuses or satellite teaching sites, and reorganize vocational and continuing education centers.
Thai Van Tai, Director General of MOET's Department of General Education, speaks at the conference. Photo: MOET.
MOET said essential teaching locations, particularly in remote, mountainous, border and island communities, will largely be maintained to ensure students continue to have access to education.
The ministry said local governments have also begun preparing for the transition by reorganizing management structures, assigning staff, transferring financial assets and administrative records, updating education databases and developing academic plans for the new institutions.
Authorities have also emphasized transparency throughout the process to build public support and ensure schools operate smoothly before the 2026–2027 academic year begins.
Focus on retaining teachers
According to MOET, provincial authorities intend to retain and redeploy as many existing employees as possible while protecting the legal rights and interests of teachers and other education workers affected by the restructuring.
Teachers will be assigned priority placement at main campuses, branch schools and satellite teaching sites or transferred to schools facing staffing shortages.
Qualified administrative personnel may also return to teaching roles or be assigned other positions matching their expertise.
Only when no suitable placement is available will existing personnel policies regarding redundancy be applied.
For non-teaching staff, local governments generally plan to retain positions directly supporting teaching and student welfare, including librarians, laboratory technicians and school healthcare workers.
Administrative positions such as accountants, clerks and cashiers are expected to be streamlined through shared services across institutions operating under the same legal entity.
Authorities will continue reviewing staffing arrangements on an individual basis, prioritizing transfers within the education sector before considering redundancy measures.
Student interests remain the priority
Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong addresses the conference. Photo: MOET.
Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong said restructuring public educational institutions is a key priority for the government, with the central objective of ensuring educational opportunities remain available to every student.
He acknowledged that the reorganization would inevitably affect teachers and school staff but stressed that education quality must remain the guiding principle.
"If we do not manage the restructuring of educational institutions effectively, it will affect the quality of teaching and learning and have a significant impact on students," he said.
The deputy minister urged provincial education departments to continue advising local authorities, regularly update implementation data and carefully evaluate how newly merged schools operate in practice.
He also called for continuous monitoring of potential challenges, thorough impact assessments and phased implementation to ensure stability while keeping the restructuring on schedule.
Vietnamnet.vn
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