Schools Around the World – Vietnam

Schools in Vietnam are overseen by the Vietnamese Ministry of Education. We have walked past numerous schools during our time here in Vietnam. There was a high school directly across the street from our condo in Vung Tau. However, I never felt comfortable taking any pictures. If it was during school hours, there was usually a guard out front. There have been many things so far this year that I’ve wanted to video or take pictures of and it just didn’t feel right. This is an area where I trust my gut and just avoid it. So, the pictures here I got online.

School in Vietnam

The public primary school in the neighborhood where we are staying in Ho Chi Minh City is called An Khanh Primary. We have seen numerous kids leaving for school in the morning in a variety of different uniforms. It appears kids go to various different schools in the area. Like most schools we’ve seen in warm climates, there is an open air concept of some kind. I think this is a fantastic concept. This doesn’t make sense in Colorado, but the fresh air and outdoors are always good for everyone!

School Structure and Calendar

School in Vietnam is broken up into Primary School (grades 1-5), Lower Secondary School (grades 6-9), and Upper Secondary School (grades 10-12). Students must pass an exam at the end of grade 9 to move on. They then take an entrance exam to get into Upper Secondary School, and are placed in schools based on those exams. This is highly competitive. They graduate by passing the National High School Examination.

Their school calendar is very similar to what we are used to in the United States. The year typically starts in early September and ends in June. Their biggest break during the year is for Tet (Lunar New Year), which is about 2 weeks long in January or February (dates change based on the lunar calendar). This is the most important Vietnamese holiday, marking the beginning of spring, and lands on February 17th this year. They have already started decorating for it around the city.

Dress Code, Classrooms, and Expectations

Uniforms are required within all public schools. Uniforms typically consist of a white shirt with the school logo on the left sleeve and navy blue or black trousers (for boys) or skirts (for girls). In Upper Secondary School the girls are often required to wear the traditional áo dài dress. The requirements vary by school. Some schools require them only for special occasions, while others require that they be worn on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Respect for teachers and authority are paramount in Vietnamese education. They value high performance and rely heavily on standardized testing to measure performance. This is evident in the exams required to pass Lower Secondary and enter Upper Secondary school. Public schools emphasize rote learning and teacher-centered instruction where students memorize and repeat information. However, there has been a shift towards more critical thinking and student-centered approaches within private and international schools.

The guide who drove the motorbike I rode during our tour was currently in college. He pointed out various schools we passed along our ride. He told me that even though the legal age to drive a motorbike is 18, he was able to get a special license to drive one to school at 16 as long as he only went in the back alleys. It’s fascinating to see how different countries prioritize and approach learning. Before we left, I worried a lot about how our kids would do learning in an environment completely different than what they are used to. It’s definitely opened my eyes to the fact that there’s no single right way to get an education.