Is a primary school considered a general education institution in Vietnam? What are the levels and ages of general education?

Is a primary school considered a general education institution in Vietnam ?

Based on Article 33 of the Law on Education 2019 regulating general education institutions as follows:

General education institutions

General education institutions include:

1. Primary schools;*

2. Lower secondary schools;

3. Upper secondary schools;

4. Multi-level schools.

Thus, primary schools are considered general education institutions.

What are the objectives of primary education at primary schools in Vietnam?

Based on Article 29 of the Law on Education 2019 regulating the objectives of general education as follows:

Objectives of general education

1. General education aims to develop learners comprehensively in ethics, intellect, physical conditions, aesthetics, basic skills, develop personal capacities, dynamism, and creativity; shape the personality of a socialist Vietnamese person and civic responsibility; prepare learners to continue higher education programs, vocational education, or enter the workforce, construct, and defend the Fatherland.

*2. Primary education aims to form the initial foundation for the development of students' ethics, intellect, physical conditions, aesthetics, and capacities; prepare students to continue lower secondary education.

3. Lower secondary education aims to consolidate and develop the results of primary education; ensure students have a basic general education, minimum necessary understanding of techniques and vocational orientation to continue upper secondary education or vocational education programs.

4. Upper secondary education aims to equip civic knowledge; ensure students consolidate, develop the results of lower secondary education, complete general education, and have general understanding of techniques, vocational orientation; have conditions to promote personal capacities to choose development directions, continue higher education programs, vocational education, or enter the workforce, construct, and defend the Fatherland.

Thus, the objectives of primary education at primary schools include two goals:

- First is to form the initial foundation for the development of students' ethics, intellect, physical conditions, aesthetics, and capacities;

- Second is to prepare students to continue lower secondary education as regulated.

Is a primary school considered a general education institution in Vietnam? What are the levels and ages of general education? (Image from the Internet)

What are the levels and ages of general education in Vietnam?

According to Article 28 of the Law on Education 2019 regulating the levels and ages of general education, specifically:

(1) The levels and ages of general education are regulated as follows:

- Primary education is conducted over 5 academic years, from grade one to the end of grade five. The age of students starting grade one is 6 years old, calculated by year.

- Lower secondary education is conducted over 4 academic years, from grade six to the end of grade nine. Students starting grade six must have completed the primary education program. The age of students starting grade six is 11 years old, calculated by year.

- Upper secondary education is conducted over 3 academic years, from grade ten to the end of grade twelve. Students starting grade ten must have a lower secondary education diploma. The age of students starting grade ten is 15 years old, calculated by year.

(2) Cases where students can accelerate a grade, study at an age higher than the prescribed age in clause 1 of Article 28 of the Law on Education 2019 include:

- Students accelerating a grade due to early intellectual development.

- Students studying at an age higher than the prescribed age due to grade retention, students in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions, ethnic minority students, disabled students, students with physical or intellectual delays, orphans with no support, students from poor households, students returning from abroad, and other cases as regulated by law.

(3) General education is divided into the basic education stage and the career-oriented education stage. The basic education stage includes primary education and lower secondary education; the career-oriented education stage is upper secondary education. Students at vocational education institutions are taught upper secondary education cultural contents.

(4) The Minister of Education and Training regulates the teaching and learning of the Vietnamese language for ethnic minority children before they start grade one; the teaching of upper secondary education cultural contents at vocational education institutions; and the cases specified in clause 2 of Article 28 of the Law on Education 2019.