The Ministry of Education and Training yesterday convened a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City to gather input on developing a strategic project aimed at enhancing the quality of preschool education in urban areas and industrial zones for the 2025–2030 period with a long-term vision to 2045.
According to Deputy Director Hoang Thi Dinh of the Department of Preschool Education under the Ministry, as of July 2024, Vietnam has established 431 industrial parks across 59 of its 63 provinces and cities, generating employment for nearly 4 million direct workers. Nationwide, there are 13,137 preschools, including 3,612 public institutions, 1,770 non-public schools, and 7,755 independent and private preschools located within industrial parks.
The Ministry of Education and Training's assessment found that the planning and development of preschool education facilities is inadequate for the needs of workers and laborers. Public preschools account for only 67.1 percent of total preschool facilities in industrial park areas, and their operating hours do not align with workers' schedules. Furthermore, some schools are located far from workers' residences, making it inconvenient for drop-off and pick-up.
The current preschool infrastructure generally presents capacity constraints for children in the nursery age group (under 36 months), contrasting with the substantial need among the predominantly migrant worker population to access care for children aged 12 to under 24 months.
Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training has developed a Project to improve the quality of preschool education in urban areas and industrial parks. The Project is implemented in special-class, class I, II, III urban areas and areas with industrial parks.
The project aims to have all of children in preschools in urban areas and industrial parks to be nurtured, cared for, and educated to meet the requirements of the preschool education program by 2030. Moreover, all children aged from 3-36 months old who are children of workers and laborers in industrial parks will have access to quality preschool education services.
Additionally, local authorities aim to ensure that 100 percent of managers, teachers, and staff at preschools in urban areas and industrial parks have access to educational resources and regular professional training. They also strive to increase by at least 20 percent the number of preschools in these areas that serve children under 24 months of age, including a targeted rise of at least 10 percent in public preschools within industrial parks.
Deputy Director Le Thuy My Chau of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training noted that many independent preschools are currently facing staffing challenges, which hinder their ability to participate in professional training programs. As a result, the goal of providing universal access to professional development for preschool personnel in industrial zones presents significant implementation challenges.
Furthermore, preschools are required to fulfill specific criteria for facilities, teaching personnel, and parental needs to provide care for children under 24 months. Over the last decade, Ho Chi Minh City has offered childcare services for children aged 6 to 18 months; however, only 241 preschools have participated in this initiative.
