ALE Country Report: Vietnam.pdf

Vietnam, a geographically, ethnically, and culturally diverse nation, has been experiencing rapid demographic and social change, with a population of 97 million in 2018 and 70% of the population under 35 years of age. The country has joined the low-middle income group and is expected to have a GDP growth of 6.2 percent yearly from 2018-2022. However, Vietnam still faces overlapping challenges, including a shortage of high-quality human resources and low competitive capacity of the economy. Education is seen as a sustainable way to respond to the urgent and increasing needs for a well-trained workforce. The government has shown strong commitment to improving education, with a focus on developing high-quality human resources, especially in the workforce. The Education Strategic Development Plan 2011-2020 sets the direction, targets, and highlights reforms needed for the education sector. Adult education and learning, or non-formal education, is a significant gap in Vietnam's education system, with a focus on formal education and academic results. The Voluntary National Report (VNR) Review from Adult Learning and Education (ALE) Perspectives aims to address concerns related to adult education and how ALE is reflected in different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key issues include the elimination of illiteracy, vocational and skills training, awareness raising, and lifelong learning, with a focus on disadvantaged groups, including ethnic minorities, women, and people with disabilities. The literacy rate of ethnic minorities is 72%, much lower than the whole country, and women make up 48.4% of the social workforce, but only 19.3% hold vocational degrees. The percentage of trained workers has increased, but data does not cover marginalized groups, and adult education or non-formal education is a significant gap, with only 5% of community learning centers functioning. The Ministry of Education and Training has issued plans and circulars to address these issues, including the Implementation Plan for SDG4 and the Regulation on Assessment and Classification of Learning Units. However, there are still challenges to be addressed, including the lack of regular and adequate statistics, the need for more technical training, and the importance of promoting lifelong learning and ensuring learning needs for the elderly population.