Preliminary findings on teacher policies in mountainous and disadvantaged areas in Viet Nam

Representatives from the DTEA, UNESCO, Education Sector's Committee for the Advancement of Women and Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences gathered to review and evaluate findings from the survey conducted at 36 primary and lower-secondary schools in 12 communes in the northern mountainous areas, South Central Coast and Central Highlands of Viet Nam.

As part of the Ministry's efforts to implement the Education Sector's Action Plan on Gender Equality for the period 2016 – 2020, the survey assessed the impact of policies related to recruitment, wages and training opportunities of teachers working at primary and lower secondary levels and their impact on children's education. Participants included managers of Bureaus of Education and Training, school managers, primary and lower secondary school teachers, students, and parents living in the Provinces of Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Gia Lai and Kon Tum.

Leading the evaluation team and working with the DTEA, Ms. Quach Thi Tu Phuong presented detailed findings of the survey including notable developments in teaching environments, an evaluation of the effectiveness of teacher policies, existing shortcomings and struggles of teachers, and conclusions and recommendations for policy review.

In the last 5 years, significant improvements have been witnessed by teachers in capacity building and training opportunities and the availability of facilities and teaching resources. However, teacher's policy awareness as direct beneficiaries of such policies has proven to be low, hindering their ability to benefit from specific entitlements. Additionally, there remains greater room for improvement in access to information and technology as well as living conditions and financial support for educators in remote regions.

Chairing the consultation meeting, Mr. Tran Kim Tu, Vice Director of the DTEA, highlighted the necessity of data and analysis for the progression of education policy and development, not only in the surveyed areas but also among other provinces across all regions of Viet Nam. Once the survey report and recommendations are finalised, the Ministry of Education and Training will work to inforce actions to address the identified gaps and needs.

Mr. Toshiyuki Matsumoto, UNESCO Education Programme Specialists, emphasized teachers' crucial role in the development of quality education and added that "it is important to remember those who are vulnerable to being 'left behind' in education such as, ethnic minority groups and impoverished groups living in economically disadvantaged areas."

Following the consultation on the survey results, the report will be further developed and finalised based on discussions and evaluations provided by UNESCO and DTEA. Once finalised, the endorsed recommendations and findings will be widely disseminated among other Ministries and education institutions for further action.

For more information, please contact

• Ms. Tran Thi Phuong Nhung, Gender Programme Manager, at tt.nhung(at)unesco.org