The initiative aims to streamline the country's public education network by reducing the number of educational institutions by at least 30%.

The restructuring will focus on simplifying management structures while reorganizing staffing to reduce administrative positions and increase the number of teachers directly involved in classroom instruction.

The 15 pilot localities are: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Hue, Cao Bang Province, Lang Son Province, Tuyen Quang Province, Vinh Long Province, Bac Ninh Province, Hung Yen Province, Ninh Binh Province, Nghe An Province, Dak Lak Province, Lam Dong Province, Dong Nai Province

Pilot implementation timeline

Beginning July 1, 2026, participating localities will merge the management structures of public educational institutions within the same administrative area to establish larger schools operating multiple branch campuses and satellite campuses under unified governance.

By August 30, 2026, pilot provinces and cities are expected to complete the initial restructuring phase, establish school networks appropriate to local geography and population, and finalize governance structures to ensure the new system is fully operational at the start of the 2026–2027 academic year.

By December 30, 2026, authorities will complete a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot program, review lessons learned from the first phase, develop a standardized management model and formulate recommendations for the next stage of implementation.

From March 30, 2027, local authorities will continue consolidating and merging educational institutions under their jurisdiction based on the results of the pilot phase.

By April 30, 2027, participating localities are expected to complete the restructuring of administrative management systems, stabilize governance, financial management and public assets, and ensure the entire education system operates smoothly without disrupting teaching and learning activities at any campus.

Two pilot governance models

The Ministry of Education and Training has instructed participating localities to reorganize schools by expanding institutional scale while strengthening governance capacity.

Model 1: Large single-level schools: The first model applies to large institutions providing a single level of education, or continuing education centers, operating through one main campus supported by branch campuses and satellite schools.

Each institution will be managed by one principal and deputy principals, supported by a shared administrative and personnel office responsible for accounting, finance and administrative services. Specialized educational support staff will also be shared across campuses, while academic departments will be organized according to the needs of individual branch campuses to strengthen professional collaboration and improve teaching effectiveness.

Model 2: Large multi-level schools: The second model covers large schools offering multiple levels of education, which may operate from one or several locations.

Each institution will consist of one main campus with branch campuses and satellite schools serving different grade levels.

Management will include one principal, deputy principals and a shared administrative office responsible for accounting, finance and administrative services, together with specialized educational support staff. Academic departments will be organized according to education level and campus location to improve professional collaboration, school management and teaching quality.

Thanh Hung