Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has issued guidance to provincial and municipal authorities on accelerating the restructuring of the public preschool, general education and continuing education network in line with the country's new two-tier local government model.

At least 30% reduction in public school administrative units targeted

According to the ministry, reports from local authorities show that many schools remain small and fragmented, making them unsuitable for the development space and population scale of newly reorganised administrative units. Significant room therefore remains for further consolidation.

The guidance aims to modernise school governance by expanding school and class sizes to make more efficient use of facilities, teachers, administrators and investment resources. The restructuring will also be linked to streamlining administrative management, reorganising the workforce and "reducing education management staffing while increasing the number of teaching positions."

The ministry also proposes piloting a model in which a main school oversees branch campuses and satellite sites, while merging management structures to create larger educational institutions.

Under the guiding principles, preschools must not be merged with general education schools. General education schools must not be merged with vocational education or continuing education centres, while specialised schools serving students with particular needs must remain separate from mainstream schools.

Priority should be given to reorganising schools at the same education level or those located close to one another. Every commune-level administrative unit must continue to have at least one preschool and one general education school.

The ministry's target is to accelerate the restructuring of the public preschool, general education and continuing education system, aiming to reduce the number of public education administrative units by at least 30%.

The restructuring is intended to streamline management while reorganising personnel by reducing administrative staffing and increasing the number of teachers directly engaged in classroom instruction.

Student enrolment at branch campuses and satellite schools will remain stable, while teachers will be allocated more efficiently to strengthen school governance, maximise investment efficiency and improve education quality.

According to the implementation roadmap, from July 1, 2026, provinces and cities will begin piloting the merger of education management units within the same locality to establish large-scale schools with branch campuses and satellite sites, while introducing new governance models.

By August 30, 2026, local authorities are expected to complete the pilot phase, establish a school network suited to local population distribution and administrative boundaries, and finalise organisational structures and governance models for operation at the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic year.

By December 30, 2026, authorities will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot phase, draw lessons from its implementation, establish a management model and develop solutions for the next stage.

From March 30, 2027, based on the pilot results, provinces and cities will continue merging and consolidating educational institutions under their management authority.

By April 30, 2027, the nationwide restructuring of education management units is expected to be completed, with governance, financial management and public assets fully stabilised to ensure the education system operates smoothly without disrupting teaching and learning activities.

Larger school models to be piloted

The ministry instructs local governments to reorganise schools by expanding their scale and strengthening governance capacity.

In urban areas, industrial parks and economic zones, authorities are encouraged to develop large-scale schools that meet or exceed the maximum number of classes permitted under current regulations, provided sufficient facilities, teachers and management capacity are available. MOET said it will amend regulations that no longer reflect current practical needs.

In remote, mountainous, border and island areas, restructuring should remain flexible and suited to local conditions, including expanding multi-level schools that serve several education levels within a single institution.

Priority investment should be directed toward facilities, teaching equipment and digital infrastructure for schools undergoing restructuring in order to strengthen connectivity between main campuses, branch campuses and satellite schools.

The first-phase pilot programme, beginning on July 1, 2026, will include two models.

Model 1 – Large single-level schools with branch campuses

This model consists of one main school with branch campuses and satellite sites. Staffing will include one principal, vice principals, a shared administrative unit covering accounting, treasury and clerical functions, specialised educational support personnel and subject departments organised according to branch campuses to improve professional collaboration and teaching effectiveness.

Model 2 – Large multi-level schools

This model may operate either on a single campus or across multiple locations. It consists of one main school with branch campuses offering several education levels. Staffing includes one principal, vice principals, a shared administrative office, specialised educational support staff and subject departments organised according to education level and campus location.

Workforce restructuring

The ministry also instructs local authorities to reorganise personnel by appointing leaders and administrators with appropriate qualifications, experience and management capacity, while strengthening decentralisation and accountability among school leaders.

At the same time, local governments are required to develop detailed plans for personnel made redundant after mergers, including reassignment as commune-level education officials, transfers to teaching positions or retirement under policies that reflect employees' capabilities, preferences and organisational needs.

Authorities are also instructed to develop transition plans to preserve salaries and allowances for school managers affected by the restructuring in accordance with existing regulations and any additional local support policies.

Thanh Hung