Is the principal of a lower secondary school in Vietnam required to have English and Information Technology certifications?

Is the principal of a lower secondary school in Vietnam required to have English and Information Technology certifications?

Pursuant to Article 8 of the Regulations on principal standards for general education institutions issued together with Circular 14/2018/TT-BGDDT, the standards for lower secondary school principals regarding the use of foreign languages and information technology are stipulated as follows:

Standard 5. Use of foreign languages and information technology

Ability to use foreign languages (priority to English) and apply information technology in school administration.

1. Criterion 17. Use of foreign languages

a) Basic level: regular communication in a foreign language (priority to English);

b) Intermediate level: directing the development and implementation of plans to enhance foreign language proficiency (priority to English) for teachers, staff, and students in the school;

c) Advanced level: proficient use of a foreign language (priority to English); creating an environment for developing foreign language proficiency (priority to English) for teachers, staff, and students in the school.

2. Criterion 18. Application of information technology

a) Basic level: can use some common information technology tools in school administration;

b) Intermediate level: can use management support software for school administration;

c) Advanced level: establishing an environment for applying information technology in teaching, learning, and school administration.

Currently, the standards for a principal only require a certain level of proficiency in English and information technology rather than mandatory certification in these areas.

Who has the authority to evaluate the standards of a lower secondary school principal in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clause 2, Article 11 of the Regulations on principal standards for general education institutions, issued with Circular 14/2018/TT-BGDDT, issued by the Minister of Education and Training:

Evaluation cycle and authority according to principal standards

1. Evaluation cycle

a) Principals self-evaluate annually at the end of the school year;

b) The higher-level direct management agency evaluates the principal every two years at the end of the school year. In special cases, the higher management agency may decide to shorten the evaluation cycle.

2. Evaluation authority

a) The Head of the Department of Education and Training presides over the evaluation of principals of primary schools, lower secondary schools, schools offering multiple levels of education with the highest being lower secondary school, semi-boarding ethnic minority schools, and district-level boarding ethnic minority schools;

b) The Director of the Department of Education and Training presides over the evaluation of principals of high schools, schools offering multiple levels of education with the highest being high school, specialized schools, and provincial-level boarding ethnic minority schools;

c) The heads of higher education institutions, institutes, academies preside over the evaluation of principals of general education institutions under their jurisdiction;

d) The Director of the Department of Personnel Organization (Ministry of Education and Training) presides over the evaluation of principals of general education institutions under their jurisdiction.

The Head of the Department of Education and Training presides over the evaluation of principals of primary schools, lower secondary schools, schools with multiple levels with the highest being lower secondary level, semi-boarding ethnic minority schools, and district-level boarding ethnic minority schools.

Is the principal of a lower secondary school in Vietnam required to have English and Information Technology certifications?​ (Image from the Internet)

What are standards for creating an educational environment by lower secondary school principals in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 6 of the Regulations on principal standards for general education institutions, issued together with Circular 14/2018/TT-BGDDT, issued by the Minister of Education and Training:

Criterion 11. Building school culture

- Basic level: directs the development and implementation of school regulations and cultural conduct rules in accordance with regulations;

- Intermediate level: develops exemplary models for implementing school regulations and cultural conduct rules; detects, prevents, and handles promptly any violations of school regulations and cultural conduct rules;

- Advanced level: establishes a healthy, friendly cultural environment in the school and guides, supports managers of general education institutions in building school culture.

Criterion 12. Implementing grassroots democracy in schools

- Basic level: directs the development and implementation of grassroots democratic regulations in school according to rules;

- Intermediate level: encourages all members to participate in implementing grassroots democratic regulations; protects individuals who openly express their opinions; detects, prevents, and handles promptly any violations of grassroots democratic regulations in the school;

- Advanced level: establishes a democratic environment in the school and guides, supports managers of general education institutions in implementing grassroots democracy in school.

Criterion 13. Building a safe school, preventing school violence

- Basic level: directs the development and implementation of the school's regulations on safe schools, preventing school violence;

- Intermediate level: encourages members to participate in building a safe school, preventing school violence; detects, prevents, and handles promptly any violations of the school's regulations on safe schools, preventing school violence;

- Advanced level: establishes a model safe school, preventing school violence and guides, supports managers of general education institutions in building safe schools, preventing school violence.