- Vietnam’s MOET proposes scrapping Grade 9 graduation certificates, aligning with international norms and simplifying academic validation through school principals.
- Draft law promotes decentralization: preschool to lower secondary schools to be managed by commune-level leaders; upper secondary by provincial departments.
- Additional reforms include universal preschool from age 3, removal of "intermediate schools," and infrastructure support for private institutions; public comment open until July 9.
Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has recommended dropping the lower secondary school graduation certificate (previously issued upon completing Grade 9) in response to the two-tier model of local governance and global trends in education.
The move forms part of a draft law modifying some articles in the Education Law, now unveiled for comments. One of the most significant changes would eliminate the existing procedure of district-level Education Departments providing a graduation diploma following lower secondary school. Instead, principals in schools would validate completion of the program in students' academic records.
This change is designed by the MOET to be compatible with Vietnam's two-level system of local governance and in further support of universal education.
It also aligns with international practices, whereby most developed nations like the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Finland do not have formal graduation diplomas upon completing lower secondary school. Student records certified by principals of schools are instead utilized in determining promotion or educational tracking.
The draft legislation also suggests decentralizing the administration of preschool, primary, and lower secondary schools to chairpersons of commune-level People's Committees.
Meanwhile, upper secondary schools and multi-level general education schools would be under the authority of provincial Departments of Education and Training, with the exception of those directly controlled by the Minister of Education and Training.
Another significant change in the draft is the transfer of responsibility to award upper secondary school graduation diplomas. Issued now by provincial education directors, the new regulation would assign this responsibility to school principals.
The authors claim that this amendment goes according to the principle of "training institutions issue their own diplomas" and aligns with the overall policy of decentralization and administrative independence.
The draft law further contains a number of other amendments: elimination of the term "intermediate schools", universal preschool education beginning at age three, elimination of school boards in preschool and general education, and provision of infrastructure assistance to private schools.
The period for public comments on the draft law expires on July 9. The draft amendments to the Education Law may be read in full.
