Portraits of 14 Ministers of Education and Training over the past 80 years

1. Professor Vu Dinh Hoe

Professor Vu Dinh Hoe (1912-2011), from Hai Duong (old), came from a family with a tradition of Confucianism. He was the first Minister of Education in the Provisional Government, from August 1945 to March 1946. He also served as Minister of Justice for the next 15 years.

In just 6 months as Minister, he accomplished many important things, most notably 3 things that were approved by President Ho Chi Minh and decided to be implemented immediately:

Determined to eliminate illiteracy within one year - an ambitious but extremely necessary plan, in accordance with the order of the objects to be fought: hunger, ignorance and foreign invaders.

Teaching at all levels including university in Vietnamese.

Quickly implement the educational reform plan to "completely replace the previous indoctrination and frivolous education of the French colonialists with the education of the revolutionary people's government according to the motto: Democracy, Nation, Science (according to Vu Dinh Hoe's Memoirs ).

In 1996, Professor Vu Dinh Hoe was awarded the First Class Independence Medal by the State.

2. Professor Dang Thai Mai

Professor Dang Thai Mai (1902-1984), from Nghe An. He was the Minister of National Education of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1946.

After that, Professor Dang Thai Mai was assigned many important responsibilities such as: Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Province Resistance Committee (1947-1948), President of the Vietnam Cultural Association (1948), Director of the Department of Education of Inter-Zone IV (1950-1953), Head of the Faculty of Literature of the Pedagogical University and the General University (1954-1960), Director of the Institute of Literature (1959-1976), Chairman of the Vietnam Literature and Arts Association...

Throughout his life, Professor Dang Thai Mai devoted himself entirely to the scientific and revolutionary cause of the country.

Professor Dang Thai Mai. Photo: Document

3. Professor Ca Van Thinh

Regarding the information that Professor Ca Van Thinh held the position of Acting Minister of National Education in 1946, with the support of Mr. Nguyen Van Huy, former Director of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, currently Director of the Nguyen Van Huyen Museum, we contacted Meritorious Artist, Director Ca Le Hong (daughter of Professor Ca Van Thinh). Ms. Ca Le Hong confirmed that her father - Professor Ca Van Thinh - had a time in Hanoi to hold the position of Acting Minister of National Education in 1946.

Professor Ca Van Thinh (1902-1987) was born in Ben Tre. According to information from the Saigon Giai Phong newspaper, in 1925, he went to Hanoi to study at the Indochina Pedagogical College. Here, he, along with Mr. Dang Thai Mai and Mr. Ton Quang Phiet, actively participated in patriotic youth movements. From 1928-1945, Mr. Ca Van Thinh both taught and participated in patriotic activities in Ben Tre.

On August 25, 1945, the uprising in Ben Tre succeeded, and he became a member of the Administrative Resistance Committee of Ben Tre province.

On March 20, 1946, he, along with Mrs. Nguyen Thi Dinh and Mr. Tran Huu Nghiep, were sent by the Delegation of Zone 8 to Hanoi to report on the situation and request support for the South. In 1946, the Government assigned him the position of Minister of National Education, and then he assumed the position of Director of the Southern Department...

Ca Van Thinh.jpg — Professor Ca Van Thinh. Photo: Saigon Giai Phong Newspaper

4. Professor Nguyen Van Huyen

Professor Nguyen Van Huyen (1905-1975) was the longest-serving Minister of Education, for nearly 30 years. His family came from Lai Xa village, Kim Chung, Hoai Duc (Hanoi) and practiced medicine on Thuoc Bac street.

During his three decades as head of the education and training sector, he directed many reforms, built a national education system, eliminated illiteracy, trained intellectuals and scientific and technical staff, and laid the foundation for the country's long-term development.

IMG_F2585B67AD1C 1.jpg — Professor Nguyen Van Huyen and his wife. Photo: VietNamNet Document

5. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Binh

Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh (birth name Nguyen Thi Chau Sa, born in 1927, from Quang Nam) joined the revolution in August 1945. She was active in the movement to seize power in Saigon, holding many positions in the Women's National Salvation Association and the Lien-Viet Front.

After being imprisoned in Chi Hoa prison (1951-1954), she continued to work in the peace movement, then held many important positions, including Head of the negotiating delegation at the Paris Conference (1969-1973), and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Provisional Revolutionary Government (1969-1976).

From 1976-1987, she was Minister of Education, then took on many other important responsibilities and served as Vice President (1992-2002).

On August 25, 2025, she was awarded the title of Hero of Labor.

Nguyen Thi Binh.jpg — Ms. Nguyen Thi Binh. Photo: Hoang Ha

6. Professor Pham Minh Hac

Professor Pham Minh Hac (born in 1935, Hanoi) held the position of Minister of Education from 1987 to 1990. In this position, he made many innovative decisions in the context of the country's difficulties, setting the guiding principle: "Maintain to avoid collapse, restore what has been lost, consolidate what remains and develop what is necessary".

He paid special attention to literacy programs, universal primary education and contributed to shaping national goals on education.

Professor Pham Minh Hac. Photo: VietNamNet Document

7. Professor Ta Quang Buu

Professor Ta Quang Buu (1910-1986), from Nghe An. He served as Minister of National Defense from August 1947 to August 1948. He was the first Minister of the Ministry of Universities and Vocational Secondary Schools (1965-1976).

During the war, Professor Ta Quang Buu proposed teaching the most basic and modern things suitable for Vietnam's conditions. From there, he directed the improvement of the curriculum and gathered good scientists, pedagogues and experts to compile new textbooks. He organized a series of seminars on university teaching to improve the quality of teaching and learning at the university level.

8. Professor Nguyen Dinh Tu

Professor Nguyen Dinh Tu (1932-1996), from Ha Tinh, was born into a family of teachers with a long tradition of studiousness and patriotism. He was a nuclear physicist and a leader in Vietnamese science and education.

He held the position of Minister of Universities and Vocational Secondary Education (from June 1976 to February 1987), Director of the National Institute of Atomic Energy...

In 2000, Professor Nguyen Dinh Tu was posthumously awarded the Ho Chi Minh Prize for Science and Technology for his work: "Research on the interactions of elementary particles and nuclei at high energy and the discovery of the negative sigma hyperon antiparticle".

In 2007, he was posthumously awarded the Ho Chi Minh Medal by the President.

Professor Nguyen Dinh Tu. Photo: Document

9. Professor Tran Hong Quan

Professor Tran Hong Quan (1937-2023) was from Soc Trang (old).

Since 1961, he taught at Hanoi University of Technology. After 1976, he became Head of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology and Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology.

From 1982 to 1987, he was Deputy Minister of Universities and Vocational Secondary Education.

During the period 1987-1990, he held the position of Minister of Universities - Vocational Secondary Schools and Vocational Training.

From 1990 to 1997, Professor Tran Hong Quan held the position of Minister of Education and Training.

After retirement, he became Chairman of the Association of Vietnamese Universities and Colleges and is currently Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Association of Vietnamese Universities and Colleges.

Professor Tran Hong Quan. Photo: Document

10. Professor Nguyen Minh Hien

Professor Nguyen Minh Hien was born in 1948, from Thai Binh (old). He held the position of Minister of Education and Training from 1997 to 2006.

min hien.jpg — Professor Nguyen Minh Hien. Photo: Document

11. Professor Nguyen Thien Nhan

Professor born in 1953, hometown Tra Vinh (old).

Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhan has held the following positions: Vice Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology; Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City; Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee; Minister of Education and Training for the period 2006-2010; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Training.

In May 2013, he was elected to the Politburo. He served as Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front for the 7th and 8th terms (2014-2019).

On May 10, 2017, the Politburo assigned him to hold the position of Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee.

W-Nguyen Thien Nhan 1020 (4).jpg — Professor Nguyen Thien Nhan. Photo: Hoang Ha

12. Professor Pham Vu Luan

Professor Pham Vu Luan was born in 1955, from Hanoi.

He was a lecturer, then Head of the Department of Economics and Commerce, Deputy Dean, Vice Principal, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, and Principal of the University of Commerce.

From June 2004 to April 2010, he was Deputy Minister, then Permanent Deputy Minister of Education and Training.

He was then Permanent Deputy Minister in charge of the Ministry of Education and Training.

He held the position of Minister of Education and Training from June 2010 to April 2016.

W-Pham Vu Luan (4).jpg — Professor Pham Vu Luan. Photo: Hoang Ha

13. Professor Phung Xuan Nha

Professor Phung Xuan Nha was born in 1963, from Hung Yen. He was the Principal of the University of Economics - Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

He held the position of Minister of Education and Training from April 2016 to April 2021.