UNICEF: Teachers Law is an important step forward in child care and education in Vietnam

At the 9th Session, the 15th National Assembly voted to pass the Law on Teachers. The law will take effect from January 1, 2026. On this occasion, UNICEF Representative in Vietnam, Ms. Silvia Danailov, gave an interview to a reporter from Vietnam News Agency.

UNICEF Representative in Vietnam Silvia Danailov gives an interview to a reporter from Vietnam News Agency. Photo: Viet Duc/VNA

The Vietnamese National Assembly has just passed the Law on Teachers on June 16, 2025, in which the highlight is the salary policy for teachers being ranked highest in the administrative career salary scale system. So can you share your opinion on the official passage of this law?

On behalf of UNICEF, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the Government of Viet Nam on the overwhelming approval of the Law on Teachers by the National Assembly. This is an important step forward in affirming and enhancing the role of teachers nationwide.

The passage of this law shows that Vietnam truly recognizes the important role of teachers - not only as those involved in teaching, but also as key factors in building the future of the country. The Law on Teachers is also in line with General Secretary To Lam 's vision of promoting investment in human resources as a focus of the national human resource development strategy.

We particularly welcome the provisions in the law to ensure that teachers receive the highest salaries in the administrative and career salary scale, together with professional allowances. These are important steps in building a strong and motivated teaching workforce.

UNICEF is committed to working with the Government to implement this important law, while continuing to invest in teachers – the core force in building a strong, inclusive and quality education system for all children.

According to you, what impact and influence will the Law on Teachers have on child care and education in Vietnam in the coming time?

The Law on Teachers is an important step forward that promises to have a lasting impact on child care and education in Vietnam. It sets the stage for a number of major changes in the education sector across a range of areas.

First, raise the status of the teaching profession by placing teachers’ salaries at the top of the administrative career salary scale. This can help attract and retain competent teachers, especially in disadvantaged areas, and thereby improve the quality of learning for all children.

Second, the Law gives the education sector the initiative in recruiting teachers, especially in remote and disadvantaged areas. This is to ensure that schools can quickly attract qualified, dedicated teachers who understand the conditions and needs of the locality.

The law also clearly defines the qualities, responsibilities and professional ethics of teachers, thereby strengthening the trust between teachers and students, families and the community. Maintaining professional ethics is the foundation for building a safe, respectful and inclusive learning environment - where all children have the opportunity to learn and develop comprehensively.

The National Assembly voted to pass the Law on Teachers. Photo: Doan Tan/VNA

Madam, with UNICEF's commitment to accompany the Vietnamese Government in the process of implementing the Law, could you share specifically about the cooperation plan and program between UNICEF and Vietnam to effectively and substantially implement the Law on Teachers, which will take effect from the beginning of next year (2026), aiming for a sustainable, inclusive and high-quality Vietnamese education system?

UNICEF is committed to continuing to support the Ministry of Education and Training in investing in teachers, who play a key role in providing quality and inclusive education for all children in Viet Nam.

As innovative initiatives in the education sector are being implemented, such as the adoption of a new preschool education program, the transformation of general education to a competency-based approach, or digital transformation across the sector, teachers need to be equipped with new skills to meet these requirements.

To support that process, UNICEF will continue to work with the Ministry of Education and Training to build the capacity of teachers and school administrators, focusing on new areas such as: integrating social and emotional skills education into preschool programs; early integration of computational thinking into preschool education programs to create a foundation for future digital skills; enhancing digital skills and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as helping teachers reduce workload through the application of AI in lesson planning and learning materials development...

These efforts are part of a strategic partnership between UNICEF and the Government of Viet Nam to support teachers in developing their professional capacity and innovating in teaching, thereby promoting an equitable and resilient education system.

On the occasion of Vietnam's Action Month for Children 2025, what is your opinion on the work of caring for and educating children in recent times as well as the fact that the Vietnamese National Assembly is discussing the issuance of a Resolution on exemption and support of tuition fees for preschool children, primary school students, and students of general education programs at educational institutions in the national education system?

This year marks two important events: the 35th anniversary of Vietnam’s ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the 50th anniversary of UNICEF’s nationwide cooperation programme in Vietnam. Over the past decades, Vietnam has made significant progress in child care, education, development and protection.

Thanks to sustained investment, children today are better protected from violence, neglect and abuse than ever before. The majority of children attend primary and secondary school, have access to quality health care, and will have a higher life expectancy than previous generations. These are strong indicators that Viet Nam has come a long way in realising children’s rights to health, nutrition, education and social protection.

Building on these achievements, the ongoing discussions in the National Assembly on the draft Resolution on tuition exemption and support for preschool children, general education students, and those studying general education programs at educational institutions in the national education system are an important step forward. This initiative demonstrates the Government’s increasingly deep commitment to quality and inclusive education for all children. At the same time, this is also consistent with Vietnam’s long-term vision of human resource development to achieve the goal of becoming a high-income country by 2045.

In parallel with the completion of the policy framework, the Ministry of Education and Training has been actively innovating the education system to improve the quality of learning for students. Recently, outstanding initiatives such as the New General Education Program - focusing on developing competencies and skills, including digital competencies, along with the development of the National Preschool Education Program focusing on social-emotional skills and other foundational skills, are concrete evidence of that effort. These innovations play an important role in ensuring that children not only go to school but also have access to quality education, preparing them for the future.

However, many challenges remain. Ensuring equitable access to quality early childhood education remains a pressing issue, especially in disadvantaged areas, including localities with large ethnic minority populations, children with disabilities, and children living in industrial and export processing zones.

UNICEF is committed to continuing to work with the Government of Viet Nam to address these challenges. We will continue to support efforts to reach the most vulnerable children and implement far-reaching innovations to give every child in Viet Nam the best start in life.

Thank you very much UNICEF Representative in Vietnam!

Viet Duc/Vietnam News Agency (conducted)

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/unicef-luat-nha-giao-la-buoc-tien-quan-trong-trong-cham-soc-giao-duc-tre-em-tai-viet-nam-20250621142657282.htm