Is the Center for Vocational Education - Continuing Education part of the National Education System in Vietnam?

Is the Center for Vocational Education - Continuing Education part of the National Education System in Vietnam?

Under Clauses 1 and 2, Article 6 of the 2019 Education Law, the national education system is defined as follows:

National Education System

1. The national education system is an open, interconnected system comprising formal education and continuing education.

2. The education levels and training qualifications of the national education system include:

a) Preschool education, including nursery and kindergarten education;

b) General education, including primary education, lower secondary education, and upper secondary education;

c) Vocational education, offering primary, intermediate, college-level training, and other vocational training programs;

d) Higher education, offering university, master's, and doctoral levels.

Additionally, Clause 1, Article 65 of the 2019 Education Law outlines other institutions within the national education system as follows:

Other Educational Institutions

1. Other educational institutions within the national education system include:

a) Independent nurseries, independent kindergartens, independent early childhood classes, literacy classes, language classes, computer classes, classes for children in difficult circumstances who cannot attend school, and classes for children with disabilities;

b) Continuing education centers, vocational education and continuing education centers, vocational education centers, community learning centers, centers for inclusive education development, and other centers that perform continuing education tasks;

c) Academies, institutes established by the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam under the Law on Science and Technology authorized to confer doctoral degrees.

Accordingly, the vocational education and continuing education center is counted among the other educational institutions within the national education system.

Is the Center for Vocational Education - Continuing Education part of the National Education System in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

Does the Vocational Education and Continuing Education Center in Vietnam have autonomy?

According to Clause 5, Article 4, Regulations on the Organization and Operation of the Vocational Education and Continuing Education Center issued with Circular 01/2023/TT-BGDDT, the tasks and powers of the Center are outlined as follows:

Tasks and Powers

…

5. Exercise autonomy as prescribed by law and specifically as follows:

a) Decide on the goals, mission, strategy, and development plan of the Center;

b) Decide on the establishment of organizational structure, development of the teaching staff, and management personnel based on the Center’s strategy and development plan; define the functions and tasks of the Center’s units;

c) Manage finances, invest in development to ensure training quality as prescribed by law; determine tuition fees for education programs that meet learners’ needs according to regulations on financial autonomy for the Center;

d) Enroll and manage learners; develop educational programs; compile or select learning materials appropriate to the educational goals of each program; manage and issue certificates to learners according to the law;

dd) Carry out scientific and technological research activities, and international cooperation according to the Center’s development strategy and plan; ensure the education quality of the Center; choose the quality assurance organization for registration.

Under these regulations, the vocational education and continuing education center has the autonomy as prescribed by law and additional specific rules.

What are teaching activities conducted at the Vocational Education and Continuing Education Center in Vietnam?

Based on Article 13, Regulations on the Organization and Operation of the Vocational Education and Continuing Education Center issued with Circular 01/2023/TT-BGDDT, teaching activities at the vocational education and continuing education center are as follows:

- Students in the lower secondary continuing education program and upper secondary continuing education program are organized into classes. Each class has a homeroom teacher, a class president, vice presidents, and students. The class president and vice presidents are elected by the students at the beginning of each school year or after each semester.

Students are encouraged to discuss and participate in planning the activities of the group and the class with the support of the teacher. The number of students in each class at the lower secondary and upper secondary levels does not exceed 45 students.

- The forms of implementing continuing education programs at the Center include: work-study programs; online learning; guided self-study; and other learning forms according to learners’ needs.

Work-study programs, online learning, and guided self-study are conducted under separate regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.