Trends and Developments

Since committing itself to developing a market economy in the 1990s, the government of Vietnam has invested heavily in education at all levels.  Programs have expanded to encompass a large portion of the society.  As a result, 87 percent of Vietnamese children now attend primary school, and the adult literacy rate stands at 93 percent.  At the university level, Vietnam has increased enrollment from 162,000 in 1993 to 1.6 million in 2010.  It is expected to reach two million by 2014.

Instruction in English is a central component of Vietnamese education, starting at the primary level.  There are extensive programs in ESL at both the primary and secondary levels, but opportunities remain limited for Vietnamese college and university students to develop their English speaking and writing skills so that they can take advantage of study abroad opportunities and participate fully in the global economy.  Teachers for Vietnam is working to address this shortage of ESL teachers.