Vietnam: In the secondary school system, how many levels are there in lower secondary schools, and how are schools named?

How many levels are there in lower secondary schools in the secondary school system?

According to Article 4 of the lower secondary school, upper secondary school and multi-level school charter issued together with Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam, secondary school types and systems are prescribed as follows:

Secondary school types and systems

1. There are two types of secondary schools: public schools and private schools.

a) A public secondary school is established and directly managed by the competent authority. The school’s facilities and recurrent expenditures are mostly covered by state budget.

b) A private secondary school has its establishment invested in and operating conditions guaranteed by a foreign or Vietnamese investor and is established under the law.  The school’s facilities and operating expenses are not covered by state budget.

2. Single-level secondary schools include:

a) Lower secondary schools.

b) Upper secondary schools.

3. Multi-level schools include:

a) Combined primary and lower secondary schools.

b) Combined lower secondary and upper secondary schools.

c) Combined primary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools.

4. Special schools and other educational institutions include:

a) Boarding general education schools and semi-boarding general education schools for ethnic minorities.

b) Specialized upper secondary schools and schools for gifted students.

c) Schools and classes for persons with disabilities.

d) Correctional institutions.

dd) Other educational institutions.

Thus, according to the regulation, in the middle school system, lower secondary schools (THCS) have 1 educational level.

Additionally, lower secondary schools can also be organized within multi-tiered schools.

In the secondary school system, how many levels are there in lower secondary schools, and how are schools named? (Image from the Internet)

How are schools named?

According to Article 5 of the lower secondary school, upper secondary school and multi-level school charter issued together with Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT, the following naming guidelines shall apply:

School name and school name sign board

1. Regulations on naming a school:

a) School name format: Trường trung học cơ sở (“lower secondary school”) (or trung học phổ thông (“upper secondary school”); tiểu học và trung học cơ sở (“primary and lower secondary school”); trung học cơ sở và trung học phổ thông (“lower secondary and upper secondary school"); tiểu học, trung học cơ sở và trung học phổ thông (“primary, lower secondary and upper secondary school”); or trung học phổ thông chuyên (“specialized upper secondary school”)) + proper name of the school.

b) The school’s proper name must be clear and transparent, not cause any confusion regarding the organization and operation of the school; and be appropriate to Vietnamese national history, culture, ethics, fine traditions and customs.

2. The school name shall be included in the school’s establishment decision, stamp, school name signboard and transaction documents.

3. Contents of a school name signboard consist of:

a) In top left corner of the board:

- For secondary schools the highest education level of which is lower secondary level:

First row: name of district-level People’s Committee;

Second row: Phòng Giáo dục và Đào tạo (“Bureau of Education and Training”).

- For secondary schools with upper secondary level:

First row: name of provincial People’s Committee;

Second row: Sở Giáo dục và Đào tạo (“Department of Education and Training”).

b) The school name, which is chosen in accordance with regulations in Clause 1 herein, shall be written in the middle of the board.

c) Address, phone number, email address and website (if any) of the school shall be written at the bottom of the board.

4. For special schools with their own organizational and operational regulations, their names and name sign boards shall adhere to such regulations.

Thus, in the secondary school system, lower secondary schools must adhere to the following naming principle:

School name: Lower secondary school (or: upper secondary school; primary and lower secondary school; lower secondary and upper secondary school; primary, lower secondary and upper secondary school; specialized upper secondary school) + the specific name of the school.

* Note: The specific name of the school must be clear, transparent, not misleading about the organization's structure and activities; and suitable with the historical, cultural traditions, ethics, and customs of the nation.

The name and nameplate of specialized schools with specific organizational and operational regulations must comply with the applicable regulation on the organization and operation of such types of specialized schools.

Can the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee establish a lower secondary school in the locality?

According to Article 6 of the lower secondary school, upper secondary school and multi-level school charter issued together with Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT:

Competence in management

1. For lower secondary schools and multi-level schools the highest education level of which is lower secondary level, chairpersons of district-level People's Committees shall issue the establishment decision and district-level People's Committees shall be in charge of management.

2. For upper secondary schools and multi-level schools the highest education level of which is upper secondary level, chairpersons of provincial People's Committees shall issue the establishment decision and Departments of Education and Training shall be in charge of management. Departments of Education and Training shall cooperate with district-level People's Committees in management and organization of relevant educational activities of multi-level schools the highest education level of which is upper secondary level.

3. For special schools with their own organizational and operational regulations, competence in management shall adhere to such regulations.

Lower secondary schools are established by the Chairman of the district-level People's Committee and managed by the district-level People's Committee.

Thus, the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee does not have the authority to establish lower secondary schools.