Vietnam to recruit 22,000 teachers to make English a second language in schools

Vietnam will need 22,000 more English teachers by 2030 under an ambitious drive to make English a second language in schools, the Ministry of Education and Training announced.

The draft proposal, unveiled at a consultation session on Sept. 22, outlines a long-term roadmap through 2045 that aims to embed English across all levels of education. By that time, officials envision English being widely used in 50,000 schools, serving nearly 30 million students and one million teachers and lecturers.

The plan will be rolled out in three phases: five years from 2025 to 2030, 10 years from 2030 to 2040, and a final five-year stretch to 2045. Its key priorities include overhauling teacher training programs, reforming exams and assessments, developing new curricula and learning materials and deploying digital technology and artificial intelligence in classrooms.

To meet immediate needs, the ministry says 12,000 new English teachers must be recruited for preschools and 10,000 for primary schools, while at least 200,000 existing teachers will be retrained to teach in English by 2030. Vietnam currently has more than 1.05 million preschool and general education teachers, of whom only around 30,000 specialize in English.

Professor Huynh Van Son, rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, said that existing human resources and technology can meet sector demands if organized and deployed effectively. Deputy education minister Pham Ngoc Thuong stressed that institutional reform and teacher training are the two most critical factors, and called for better incentives for teachers who not only teach English but also use it as a medium for teaching science and other subjects.

The draft also emphasizes launching nationwide English-learning campaigns, promoting successful local models and encouraging the integration of AI tools in classrooms.

Currently, English is officially taught from grade 3, though many preschools and lower grades offer optional classes. Government regulations require teachers who use a foreign language in instruction to reach B2 proficiency at the primary and lower secondary levels, and C1 at the high school level.

In August 2024, the Politburo directed authorities to strengthen students’ foreign-language abilities and gradually make English a second language in schools, a move that would see the language not only tested in exams but also used as a medium for teaching other subjects and for daily communication.

So far, no Vietnamese locality has implemented English as a second language on a wide scale. Pilot programs have been limited to specialized and high-quality schools. In the 2024–2025 academic year, more than 112,500 students were taught non-English subjects in English, while another 77,300 studied in bilingual programs across over 40 provinces and cities.

By Thanh Hang – VnExpress.net – September 23, 2025