Vietnam: What is the General Education Program 2018?

Vietnam: What is the General Education Program 2018?

The General Education Program 2018 is an educational program issued along with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, which was amended by Article 1 of Circular 13/2022/TT-BGDDT.

According to Article 1 of Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT:

- Issued along with this Circular is the General Education Program, including:

+ The overall program.

+ The subject and educational activity programs for primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary levels.

Additionally, Article 2 of Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT provides the roadmap for the General Education Program as follows:

- From the 2020-2021 academic year for grade 1.

- From the 2021-2022 academic year for grades 2 and 6.

- From the 2022-2023 academic year for grades 3, 7, and 10.

- From the 2023-2024 academic year for grades 4, 8, and 11.

- From the 2024-2025 academic year for grades 5, 9, and 12.

Thus, in the academic year 2024-2025, the General Education Program 2018 will apply to grades 5, 9, and 12.

From this, it can be seen that the General Education Program 2018 has been taught at all educational levels.

Vietnam: What is the General Education Program 2018? (Internet image)

What are the specific orientation and content of the General Education Program 2018 for the three subjects Mathematics, Literature, and Foreign Languagues in Vietnam?

According to Section 5 of the Overall Education Program issued along with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the content orientations of the General Education Program 2018 for the subjects of Math, Literature, and English are as follows:

Mathematics Education

Mathematics education contributes to the formation and development of students' essential qualities, general competencies, and mathematical competencies, which are the focused expression of computational skills with the following components: mathematical thinking and reasoning, mathematical modeling, problem-solving, mathematical communication, use of tools and means for learning mathematics; developing key knowledge and skills and providing opportunities for students to experience and apply mathematics in practice. Mathematics education establishes connections between mathematical ideas, between Mathematics and practice, between Mathematics and other subjects and educational activities, especially with Science, Natural Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Technology, and Informatics to implement STEM education.

Mathematics education is conducted in many subjects and educational activities such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Technology, Informatics, Experiential Activities, Career Orientation Activities, etc., in which Mathematics is a core compulsory subject from grade 1 to grade 12.

The Mathematics curriculum is designed with a linear structure combined with a "spiral concentric" approach (concentric, expanding, and elevating), around and integrating three knowledge streams: Number, Algebra and some calculus elements; Geometry and Measurement; Statistics and Probability. Mathematics education content is divided into two phases: the basic education phase and the career-oriented education phase.

- Basic education phase:

The Mathematics subject helps students grasp the essential concepts, principles, and mathematical rules systematically that are necessary for everyone, forming a foundation for further learning or for use in daily life.

- Career-oriented education phase:

The Mathematics subject helps students to have a relatively comprehensive view of mathematics, understand the role and applications of mathematics in reality, and be aware of careers related to mathematics, thereby orienting their future career paths and being able to independently explore issues related to mathematics throughout their lives.

Literature Subject

Literature is a compulsory subject from grade 1 to grade 12. At the primary level, the subject is called Vietnamese, and at the lower secondary and upper secondary levels, it is called Literature. The core content of the subject includes basic, essential knowledge streams and skills in Vietnamese and Literature, meeting the required competencies and qualities of students at each educational level; it is divided into two phases: the basic education phase and the career-oriented education phase.

- Basic education phase:

The Literature (Vietnamese) subject helps students use Vietnamese proficiently to communicate effectively in life and excel in other subjects and educational activities; forming and developing literary competence, an expression of aesthetic competence; while fostering thoughts and emotions for students' soul and character development.

The curriculum is designed around main streams corresponding to the skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Vietnamese and Literature knowledge is integrated during the teaching of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Language materials are chosen and arranged according to the students’ receptive abilities at each educational level.

- Career-oriented education phase:

The Literature subject consolidates the content streams of the basic education phase, helping students enhance their linguistic and literary competence, especially in receiving literary texts; increasing skills in creating argumentative texts, informational texts with more complex content and writing techniques; providing some historical literary knowledge and literary theory that is practically useful for reading and writing about literature.

In addition, each academic year, students oriented towards social sciences and humanities can choose to study several thematic topics. These topics aim to enhance their knowledge of literature and language, skills in applying knowledge to practice, meeting students' interests, needs, and career orientations.

Foreign Language

The Foreign Language subject helps students form and develop linguistic competence (foreign language) to use confidently and effectively for learning and communication, meeting workforce development requirements in the industrialization, modernization, and international integration cause of the country.

General students must study one foreign language (called Foreign Language 1) and can choose at least one additional foreign language (called Foreign Language 2) according to their wishes and the capability of the educational institution.

Foreign Language 1 is a compulsory subject from grade 3 to grade 12. Educational institutions can start teaching Foreign Language 1 from grade 1 if there is student demand and the institution can meet it.

Foreign Language 2 is an elective subject that can be taught starting from grade 6 and ending at any grade depending on student demand and the educational institution's capability.

The Foreign Language subject develops all four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing comprehensively. Foreign language education content is built continuously from the basic education phase to the career-oriented education phase based on references to international and Vietnamese language proficiency frameworks.

What are the objectives of the General Education Program 2018 in Vietnam?

Based on Section 2 of the Overall Education Program issued along with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT:

- The General Education Program specifies the general education goals, helping students master general knowledge, effectively apply the learned skills and knowledge in life, conduct lifelong learning, orientate career choices properly, build and harmonize social relations, having individuality, personality, and a rich emotional life, thereby leading a meaningful life and contributing positively to the development of the country and humanity.

- The primary education program helps students form and develop basic elements laying the foundation for harmonious physical and mental, quality, and competence development; focusing primarily on education about self-value, family, community, and essential habits and disciplines in learning and living.

- The lower secondary education program helps students develop the qualities and competencies formed and nurtured at the primary level, self-adjust according to the common standards of society, apply positive learning methods to complete fundamental knowledge and skills, have initial understanding about careers, and have career-oriented awareness to continue to high school, vocational education, or engage in labor life.

- The upper secondary education program helps students to continue to develop the essential qualities and competencies for workers, citizenship awareness and personality, self-learning skills, and lifelong learning awareness, having the capability to choose suitable careers according to their abilities, interests, conditions, and personal circumstances to further education, vocational education, or engage in labor life, and have adaptability to changes in the context of globalization and new industrial revolution.