Currently, the Ministry of Education and Training (Hanoi, Vietnam) is drafting 03 new Circulars stipulating the codes, standards of professional titles for public primary, secondary, and high school teachers. According to these Drafts, what are changes to the regulations on foreign language certificates of teachers at all levels in Vietnam?
Article table of contents
Upcoming: What are changes to the regulations on foreign language certificates of teachers at all levels in Vietnam? (Internet image)
1. Primary school teachers of grade IV will no longer be required to have foreign language certificates
| Teaching position | Teacher grade and corresponding foreign language certificate | ||||
| Grade I | Grade II | Grade III | Grade IV | ||
| According to Circular Joint 21/2015/TTLT-BGDDT-BNV (currently) |
For primary school teachers not teaching foreign languages | Not specified | - Certificate A2 (level 2); - Ethnic language certificate for positions requiring the use of ethnic languages. |
- Certificate A2 (level 2); - Ethnic language certificate for positions requiring the use of ethnic languages. |
- Certificate A1 (level 1); - Ethnic language certificate for positions requiring the use of ethnic languages. |
| For primary school teachers teaching foreign languages | Certificate A2 (required for a second foreign language) | Certificate A2 (required for a second foreign language) | Certificate A1 (required for a second foreign language) | ||
| According to Draft | (no longer divided into teachers who teach foreign languages and those who don't) | Certificate A3 (level 3) |
Certificate A2 (level 2) |
Certificate A1 (level 1) |
Completely remove the foreign language proficiency standard |
| Or have an ethnic minority language certificate issued by a training institution as per regulations (for teachers working in ethnic minority areas or teaching at semi-boarding ethnic minority schools or boarding ethnic minority schools) | |||||
Particularly, clause 4, Article 10 of the Draft also stipulates cases where teachers are deemed to meet the foreign language proficiency requirements or are not required to meet the foreign language proficiency standards for professional title appointments, including:
- Teachers who are at least 55 years old for men, and at least 50 years old for women as of December 31 of the year they are appointed to a professional title;- Teachers working at specialized schools using sign language or Braille to teach disabled students;- Teachers with a Master's degree or higher (for grade I); or at least a University degree (for grade II, grade III) in foreign language majors, or who have a Master's degree or higher (for grade I); or at least a University degree (for grade II, grade III) in other majors but have studied abroad or in foreign languages in Vietnam, recognized by a competent authority.
Thus, according to this Draft, primary school teachers will have an additional professional title grade, which is grade I, with a foreign language proficiency standard of Certificate A3 (level 3). At the same time, the foreign language proficiency standard for grade IV primary school teachers will be abolished, and specific cases recognized as meeting the foreign language proficiency criteria or not required to meet such criteria will be detailed.
2. To keep the foreign language proficiency standards for secondary school teachers in Vietnam
| Teaching position | Teacher grade and corresponding foreign language certificate | ||||||
| Grade I | Grade II | Grade III | Grade IV | ||||
| According to Circular Joint 22/2015/TTLT-BGDDT-BNV (current) | For primary school teachers not teaching foreign languages | - Certificate B1 (level 3); - Ethnic language certificate for positions requiring the use of ethnic languages |
- Certificate A2 (level 2); - Ethnic language certificate for positions requiring the use of ethnic languages |
- Certificate A1 (level 1); - Ethnic language certificate for positions requiring the use of ethnic languages |
Not specified | ||
| For primary school teachers teaching foreign languages | - Certificate B1 (required for a second foreign language) | - Certificate A2 (required for a second foreign language) | - Certificate A1 (required for a second foreign language) | ||||
| According to Draft | (no longer divided into teachers who teach foreign languages and those who don't) | Certificate B1 (level 3) |
Certificate A2 (level 2) |
Certificate A1 (level 1) |
Not specifying the foreign language proficiency standard | ||
| Or have an ethnic minority language certificate issued by a training institution as per regulations (for teachers working in ethnic minority areas or teaching at semi-boarding ethnic minority schools or boarding ethnic minority schools) | |||||||
Note that clause 3, Article 10 of the Draft also stipulates cases where teachers are deemed to meet the foreign language proficiency requirements or are not required to meet the foreign language proficiency standards for professional title appointments, including:
- Teachers who are at least 55 years old for men, and at least 50 years old for women as of December 31 of the year they are appointed to a professional title;- Teachers working at specialized schools using sign language or Braille to teach disabled students;- Teachers with a Master's degree or higher (for grade I); or at least a University degree (for grade II, grade III) in foreign language majors, or who have a Master's degree or higher (for grade I); or at least a University degree (for grade II, grade III) in other majors but have studied abroad or in foreign languages in Vietnam, recognized by a competent authority.
The new draft will recognize an additional grade IV for secondary school teachers, with grade IV secondary school teachers not required to meet the foreign language proficiency standard. Grade IV secondary school teachers will also be subject to the training standard upgrade roadmap as per the Government's regulations, and after achieving the training standard, they will be appointed to grade III without having to go through a promotion examination or assessment.
3. Foreign language proficiency standards for high school teachers in Vietnam
| Teaching position | Teacher grade and corresponding foreign language certificate | |||
| Grade I | Grade II | Grade III | ||
| According to Circular Joint 23/2015/TTLT-BGDDT-BNV (currently) |
For primary school teachers not teaching foreign languages | - Certificate B1 (level 3); - Ethnic language certificate for positions requiring the use of ethnic languages |
- Certificate A2 (level 2); - Ethnic language certificate for positions requiring the use of ethnic languages |
- Certificate A2 (level 2); - Ethnic language certificate for positions requiring the use of ethnic languages |
| For primary school teachers teaching foreign languages | - Certificate B1 (required for a second foreign language) | - Certificate A2 (required for a second foreign language) | - Certificate A2 (required for a second foreign language) | |
| According to Draft | (no longer divided into teachers who teach foreign languages and those who don't) | Certificate B1 (level 3) | At least Certificate A2 (level 2) | At least Certificate A2 (level 2) |
| Or have an ethnic minority language certificate issued by a training institution as per regulations (for teachers working in ethnic minority areas or teaching at semi-boarding ethnic minority schools or boarding ethnic minority schools) | ||||
Notably, clause 1, Article 9 of this Draft also stipulates cases where teachers are deemed to meet the foreign language proficiency requirements or are not required to meet the foreign language proficiency standards for professional title appointments, including:
- Teachers who are at least 55 years old for men, and at least 50 years old for women as of December 31 of the year they are appointed to a professional title;- Teachers working at specialized schools using sign language or Braille to teach disabled students;- Teachers with a Master's degree or higher (for grade I); or at least a University degree (for grade II, grade III) in foreign language majors, or who have a Master's degree or higher (for grade I); or at least a University degree (for grade II, grade III) in other majors but have studied abroad or in foreign languages in Vietnam, recognized by a competent authority.
According to the provisions of this Draft, the foreign language proficiency standards for high school teachers will remain unchanged, with specific cases recognized as meeting the foreign language proficiency criteria or not required to meet such criteria.
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See more: 6-level foreign language proficiency framework for teachers of all levels
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