06 Principles in national defense and security education in Vietnam

Is national defense and security education a compulsory subject in upper secondary schools in Vietnam?

Pursuant to the provisions of Article 11 of the Law on national defense and security education 2013, it is clearly stated as follows:

Upper secondary school, intermediate professional​ school, vocational school

1. national defense and security education in upper secondary school, professional secondary school, and vocational secondary school is a compulsory subject.

2. Ensure that students have the initial understanding of the all-people defense and people’s security; the tradition of the nation’s resistance against foreign invaders, the people’s armed forces, and the Vietnamese military art; basic, necessary knowledge of civil defense and military skills; ready to perform military service to defend the Fatherland.

3. Organize teaching and learning according to the program distribution. During the academic year, based on specific conditions, cooperate with relevant agencies, organizations, and units to organize extracurricular learning for students with appropriate content and forms.

Thus, according to the above provisions of the law, national defense and security education is a compulsory subject in upper secondary school in Vietnam.

06 Principles in national defense and security education in Vietnam (Internet image)

How will the training for teachers of national defense and security education in upper secondary schools in Vietnam be conducted?

Pursuant to the provisions of Article 24 of the Law on national defense and security education 2013 regarding training, refresher training, and recruitment of teachers and lecturers as follows:

- Formal training in the national defense and security education major, focusing on 04 years for candidates with a upper secondary school diploma;

- Second degree training, concentrating on 02 years for candidates who have a university degree in another major;

- Second degree training, concentrating on 18 months for current upper secondary school teachers, vocational education teachers, university educators who have a national defense and security education certificate with a training period of not less than 06 months.

- national defense and security education teachers and lecturers are periodically retrained and trained at the schools of the people's armed forces, national defense and security education centers.

- The Government of Vietnam stipulates the conditions for higher education institutions, schools of the people's armed forces to train teachers and lecturers in national defense and security education; The Ministry of Education and Training decides on higher education institutions, schools of the people's armed forces that are eligible to train teachers and lecturers in national defense and security education.

The Ministry of Education and Training, ministries, relevant ministerial-level agencies, People's Committees of provinces direct their affiliated educational institutions to develop plans for enrollment, training, and recruitment of teachers and lecturers in national defense and security education from upper secondary school to university.

What are principles in national defense and security education in Vietnam?

According to the provisions of Article 5 of the Law on national defense and security education 2013, principles in national defense and security education in Vietnam include:

- Comply with the Constitution and laws of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and the unified management of the State.

- national defense and security education is the responsibility of the political system and all the people, in which the State plays a leading role.

- Combine national defense and security education with political and ideological education, legal dissemination and education, and link with the building of a comprehensively strong foundation.

- Comprehensive education, with focus and emphasis, using appropriate forms; combining theory and practice, between theory and practical application.

- The national defense and security education program and content must be appropriate for each target group, promptly responding to the actual situation.

- Ensure state secrets, planning, inheritance, development, scientific, modern, easy to understand, practical, and effective.

What are the tasks and powers of the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam in national defense and security education?

According to the provisions of Article 34 of the Law on national defense and security education 2013, the tasks and powers of the Ministry of National Defense are clearly stipulated as follows:

[1] Promulgate according to authority or submit to competent authorities for promulgation of legal documents on national defense and security education.

[2] Preside and cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Training, relevant ministries and ministerial-level agencies to plan the system of national defense and security education centers nationwide, submit to the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam for consideration and decision; decide to establish national defense and security education centers under military schools.

[3] Preside and cooperate with the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Education and Training, relevant ministries and ministerial-level agencies, central agencies and organizations:

- Stipulate the framework program of national defense and security education for learners in state agencies, political organizations, socio-political organizations; the framework program for fostering national defense and security knowledge for prominent individuals, reputable people in the community; program, content for fostering national defense and security knowledge for target groups in state agencies, political organizations, socio-political organizations, non-state enterprises, and non-public public service providers;

- Stipulate standards for national defense and security education propagandists;

- Compile textbooks, materials to disseminate national defense and security knowledge suitable to the situation and tasks of building and defending the Fatherland in each period.

[4] Preside and cooperate with relevant ministries, government agencies, and central agencies and organizations to implement the fostering of national defense and security knowledge for target groups according to legal provisions; stipulate the tasks and powers for agencies, units under their authority, and the military command boards of ministries and central authorities on national defense and security education.

[5] Cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Training, relevant ministries and ministerial-level agencies to train, retrain, and train national defense and security education teachers, lecturers, propagandists, management staff, and part-time staff; assign detached officers to national defense and security education centers, higher education institutions, and state management agencies in education.

[6] Ensure weapons, technical equipment, specialized teaching devices for national defense and security education for educational institutions nationwide; ensure means, materials for national defense and security education for agencies, units, and military schools tasked with national defense and security education.

[7] Guide, inspect, supervise, review, summarize, implement commendation; resolve complaints, denunciations, handle violations of the law on national defense and security education according to their authority.

[8] Implement international cooperation on national defense and security education.