Foreword

Summary

Few concerns are of greater importance in Vietnam than education. It could be characterized as the unifying preoccupation of that country. Today, more personal and public resources are devoted to education than to almost any other comparable form of social activity; nearly every citizen has experienced schooling at some level. Education has been integral to Vietnam's history and remains central to its people's identity and aspirations for the future. For years, fierce debates have raged over the quality, accessibility, direction and management of education. The debates reveal dissatisfactions that are expressed more openly than perhaps in any other sector of society. However, all protagonists in Vietnam's perennial education debates are united by the passionate belief that education is critical to individual advancement and to the wellbeing of the nation.

The pressure on education to serve as a vehicle of individual and collective advancement is more acute than ever as the society becomes more complex and globally integrated. Major changes have occurred in the funding of education, and a host of reforms undertaken in curriculum design, examination procedures, teacher training, and educational administration. Private and foreign schools have entered the educational marketplace and the number of Vietnamese seeking education overseas continues to soar. Today Vietnamese people face unprecedented educational choices, but also substantial risks and costs. Do parents and students feel this is money well spent? Are their opinions being heard at policy levels? Is education meeting the needs of its diverse population and satisfying the expectations of its employers, civil service and social organizations? Can it be said that educational achievement is fostering social mobility in Vietnam?

The 2007 Vietnam Update was organized to respond to these questions. Held at the Australian National University, it was titled: “Education in Vietnam: Changes and Challenges”. The majority of the proposals submitted in response to the call for papers were from Vietnamese academics, reflecting the keen debate on education that is presently underway in Vietnam.