This initiative is part of a proposed project to develop foreign language teaching and learning within the national education system from 2026-2035, with a vision towards 2045, announced last week.

Specifically, the Ministry plans to introduce Lao into secondary schools starting in 2026, Khmer from 2028, and Thai and Indonesian by 2030. This aims to effectively implement cooperation agreements between Vietnam and these countries, applying to schools that have both the demand and the resources.

Regarding Lao, Minister Nguyen Kim Son mentioned this during a meeting with Khamphao Ernthavanh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to Vietnam, in early June. Initially, Lao will be piloted for students in border areas, expanding as more teachers become available.

Students at Bui Van Moi Primary School, Phuoc Long Ward, 9/2025. Photo: Quynh Tran

Students at Bui Van Moi Primary School, Phuoc Long Ward, 9/2025. Photo: Quynh Tran

Vietnam currently has over 14 million secondary school students (from grades 1 to 12). The foreign language curriculum includes seven languages: English, Russian, French, Chinese, German, Japanese, and Korean (schools choose based on their needs and resources).

English is taught in all provinces and cities. Of the remaining six foreign languages, around 40 out of 63 localities offer them. French has the highest enrollment with over 30,700 students, followed by Japanese (over 20,800), and Chinese (nearly 14,400). This number includes students in 7-year or 10-year programs, those studying a second foreign language, or participating in pilot programs.

To introduce additional foreign languages into secondary schools, as well as teach subjects in foreign languages, the Ministry of Education and Training plans to develop its teaching staff and increase the number of native-speaking teachers. They will also focus on developing learning materials and curricula, and increasing the application of technology platforms and artificial intelligence.

Thanh Hang