According to Education First’s 2024 report, Vietnam’s English proficiency ranking fell from 58th to 63rd globally, placing the country among nations with Low proficiency levels.

Public opinion has influenced parents' decision to send their children to IELTS (the International English Language Testing System) preparation classes and put unnecessary pressure on children.

As the teaching of English focuses on grammar in Vietnam, students are weak at speaking and listening, experts say.

In 2023-2024, Vietnam’s average IELTS score was 6.2, with Listening and Speaking skills scoring below the global average.

Thousands of university students in Vietnam face graduation delays each year due to failing English proficiency requirements. While universities argue that their standards are reasonable, students are left struggling to meet the criteria in time.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has outlined an ambitious plan for the 2024-2025 academic year, aiming to introduce English as the second language in Vietnam’s schools.

Former Deputy Minister of Education and Training Tran Van Nhung believes that Vietnam should learn from the successful experiences of Singapore and Malaysia in integrating English into their education systems and broader society.

Efforts should be concentrated on enhancing students’ foreign language proficiency, in order to make English the second language in schools.

 VietNamNet Bridge – More than 711,000 pupils had no access to English education in the 2014-15 school year.