The Prime Minister of Vietnam has issued a directive for the restructuring of public educational institutions across the country, including kindergartens, primary schools, and secondary schools, to be finalized by August 30. This decision, communicated in a document on July 10, emphasizes the need for local authorities to prepare adequately for the upcoming academic year of 2026-2027 while also merging vocational schools within the third quarter of this year.

The Prime Minister's timeline for completing the restructuring has been shortened by eight months compared to the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Education and Training earlier in July. Recently, the Ministry announced that 15 provinces would pilot the restructuring process, aiming to reduce the number of public schools before the August deadline. Following this pilot phase, the education sector will evaluate the results and draw lessons for nationwide implementation, expected to be completed by April 30, 2027.

In the directive, the Prime Minister has set a goal to decrease the number of public schools by 30% compared to the figures from July 1, 2025. The restructuring must align with socio-economic development plans, demographic scales, and the developmental landscape of each locality, with a focus on reducing administrative staff while increasing teaching personnel.

The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of achieving universal preschool education for children aged 3 to 4 and ensuring that 85% of individuals in the relevant age group complete secondary education by 2030. The restructuring will involve two models: the first model consists of large-scale single-level schools with multiple branches, while the second model features large-scale multi-level schools located at one or several sites.

After the restructuring, each large school will have one principal, several vice principals, and a shared administrative team, including accountants and clerks, along with specialized educational support staff. Depending on class sizes, student numbers, and geographical distances, each branch will have a vice principal in charge.

Schools that do not meet minimum infrastructure standards, particularly in remote areas or regions with ethnic minorities, will be dissolved to create boarding or semi-boarding schools for students at the main school site. Areas lacking adequate facilities must expedite improvements to ensure readiness for the next academic year.

The Prime Minister stressed that kindergartens should not be merged with primary schools, nor should primary schools be combined with vocational education centers. The restructuring aims to prioritize the organization of educational institutions of the same level or those located near each other, ensuring that each commune or district has one kindergarten, one primary school, and one secondary school or a multi-level school.

Vocational schools and continuing education centers will be merged so that each province has three vocational institutions. Those vocational schools that can sustain regular expenses will be maintained, while others may be dissolved if they are ineffective or merged with colleges to establish secondary vocational schools. Continuing education centers will be consolidated into vocational training and continuing education centers.