On 18/9, the Ministry of Home Affairs sent an official dispatch to provinces and cities outlining the reorganization of public service units in the education and healthcare sectors. The public school system from preschool to high school will be reviewed and adjusted. Vocational and continuing education centers will be merged into vocational high schools equivalent to regular high schools, under the Department of Education and Training, serving inter-commune and ward areas.
Each province and city will have a maximum of three vocational schools, excluding those with recurrent expenditure autonomy. Currently, the country has over 23 million preschoolers and students with 12,160 primary schools, 10,700 lower secondary schools, and 2,455 upper secondary schools.
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Opening ceremony at Nguyen Binh Khiem primary school, Saigon ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thanh Tung |
Opening ceremony at Nguyen Binh Khiem primary school, Saigon ward, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Thanh Tung
In healthcare, the Ministry of Home Affairs proposed that each province and city have at least one specialized hospital and establish a geriatric hospital or a geriatrics department in general hospitals. Commune health stations under the commune People's Committee (UBND) will be maintained, along with existing examination points for basic healthcare needs. District health centers and general hospitals will be placed under the Department of Health, providing healthcare services for inter-commune and ward areas.
The country currently has 47 central-level public hospitals, 419 provincial hospitals, and 684 district hospitals.
Beyond education and healthcare, the Ministry of Home Affairs suggested that each province and city have a maximum of three Project Management Boards under the provincial UBND. Localities can establish inter-commune and ward Project Management Boards if needed. These units will operate under a financially autonomous mechanism. Ineffective public service units will be dissolved.
The Ministry also proposed each commune establish one public service unit to provide basic public services in culture, sports, information, environment, and agriculture.
Earlier, on 12/9, the Central Steering Committee on summarizing Resolution 18 requested further streamlining of the apparatus in ministries and sectors, especially at the department and general department levels. It advised against establishing divisions within departments except in special cases involving mergers of three entities or when staffing exceeds 45 people. The Ministry of Finance also proposed restructuring state-owned enterprises and their internal structures to adapt to the new situation.
Vu Tuan
