On April 6, in Da Nang, the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, in coordination with the Department of Early Childhood Education under the Ministry of Education and Training, the World Bank, and the Da Nang Department of Education and Training, held a workshop titled Huong toi muc tieu nang cao chat luong giao duc mam non ( Toward the goal of improving early childhood education quality.
The event took place amid rapid urbanization and industrial expansion, which have driven a growing concentration of workers in urban areas. Demand for childcare, particularly among female workers, has risen sharply, while access to quality, safe, and work-compatible early childhood education services remains limited, highlighting the urgent need for policy improvements.
At the workshop, participants shared research findings on childcare and early education needs in urban areas with industrial zones, while also introducing a program to enhance early childhood education quality for the 2025–2035 period, with a vision toward 2045. The forum also served as a platform to exchange ideas and propose policy recommendations aimed at improving care and education for young children in the coming years.
Prof. Le Anh Vinh, Director of the Vietnam National Institute of Educational Sciences, emphasized that early childhood education is a critical foundation for long-term individual development, with the period from ages three to six considered a “golden stage” for building core skills.
In recent years, the Party and the State have advanced a series of significant policies for early childhood education. The national education development strategy to 2030 sets out goals to ensure universal access beginning at age three, raise enrollment rates, and enhance quality standards, particularly in disadvantaged communities and industrial zones.
Notably, a new early childhood education program will be piloted featuring seven key reforms. The program shifts toward a competency-based approach, ensures alignment with the 2018 General Education Program, and places greater emphasis on emotional development and social skills. It also grants more autonomy to local authorities to adapt implementation to specific conditions, while strengthening child nutrition and reducing pressure on teachers.
However, in densely populated urban areas and industrial zones, access to quality early childhood education remains limited, affecting women’s employment opportunities and broader social stability.
