The SIPAS 2025 report, which measures citizen satisfaction with public administrative agencies, was recently announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs. A survey of 36,000 citizens revealed a high overall satisfaction rate of about 83%. However, citizens continue to prioritize the capabilities of human resources and transparency in public service operations.
The three most anticipated improvements, each with an 89% expectation rate, are: enhancing the capacity of public officials and civil servants, improving the quality of receiving and processing citizen feedback and requests, and upgrading service equipment. Other areas receiving close to 87% expectation include: service spirit and attitude, quality of public service delivery, government accountability, and expanding opportunities for citizen oversight.
Compared to the years 2023-2024, the focus of citizen expectations has shifted from "service spirit and attitude" to the "capacity" of public officials to perform their duties. Overall, these expectations have been noted for many years, indicating they are crucial areas for improvement within the public administration system.
The survey also shows that citizens have high interest in essential public policies, though with differences across nine assessed areas. Social order and safety garnered the most attention at 87%, while local economic development policies received less focus from citizens, with 82% approval. Regarding satisfaction with policy impact, public schools providing better education for students and improved social welfare led the group, while satisfaction was lowest for policies affecting family economy, roads, and transport.
Satisfaction levels among citizens across provinces regarding policy implementation showed a significant disparity of about 13%. Citizens in Quang Ninh and Hai Phong were among the most satisfied, with rates of 88% and 91% respectively, whereas satisfaction levels in Lang Son and Bac Ninh were only 77%, placing them in the lowest group.
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public officials assist citizens with service procedures at ha tinh public administration service center, november 2025. photo: duc hung |
public officials assist citizens with service procedures at ha tinh public administration service center, november 2025. photo: duc hung
The Ministry of Home Affairs assesses that the SIPAS results indicate a future need to focus on strengthening public service capacity at the grassroots level. This specifically includes the capabilities and responsibilities of public officials and civil servants, linking individual accountability to service outcomes. Concurrently, efforts must be made to narrow the gap between localities to ensure uniformity.
Digital transformation needs to be citizen-centric, developing simple, user-friendly digital platforms suitable for diverse population groups. Public services should combine online and in-person formats effectively, prioritizing the practical experience of citizens. Public administrative agencies must establish efficient two-way feedback mechanisms by expanding channels for receiving citizen input to ensure timely processing of requests.
Policies are evaluated not just by their design quality but by their actual results and impact, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Beyond reducing procedural burdens, public administrative services need to ensure a seamless, convenient experience throughout the citizen's entire journey. Therefore, citizen experience, needs, and expectations must be the criteria for design, development, and implementation, rather than solely relying on internal processes.
"reform not only needs to be right, but also needs to be felt as good in real experience," the report stated.
Hong Chieu
