Vietnam is facing a nationwide teacher shortage crisis, with nearly 120,000 teaching positions still unfilled, as the country prepares for a major policy shift mandating full-day classes for all elementary and middle school students starting from the 2025–26 academic year.
Despite the government approving over 66,000 public teaching positions in the past three years, fewer than 6,000 have been filled, according to the Ministry of Education and Training. The gap has prompted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to order an urgent review and acceleration of recruitment efforts.
In a directive issued this month, the Prime Minister instructed the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Home Affairs to oversee teacher recruitment, ensure the full utilization of staff quotas, and propose additional hiring measures if necessary.
Shortages Most Severe in Remote and Mountainous Areas
The crisis is most acute in remote and mountainous regions, where low salaries, poor infrastructure, and a lack of qualified candidates continue to deter applicants.
In Ha Giang Province, for example, Meo Vac District has just five English teachers for over 8,400 elementary students—an improvement from just one for 2,500 three years ago, but still critically insufficient. The province reports a shortfall of nearly 3,000 teachers.
“We have no local talent pool,” said Bui Quang Tri, Director of Ha Giang’s Department of Education. “The admission scores for teacher colleges are too high for students from disadvantaged regions. Even government-sponsored trainees have sometimes failed their job entry exams intentionally to avoid repaying tuition subsidies.”
Many localities rely on volunteers or private partnerships to fill the gap—solutions that are unsustainable and insufficient as demand grows.
Impact of New Curriculum and Policy Mandates
The teacher shortage has worsened since the implementation of Vietnam’s 2018 national curriculum, which introduced English, arts, and IT as mandatory subjects from earlier grade levels. This has stretched existing staff and increased the need for specialized educators.
Middle schools are feeling the brunt of the impact, according to the education ministry.
Compounding the challenge is the impending rollout of free, full-day schooling nationwide—an initiative expected to improve educational outcomes but which requires a significant increase in staff and facilities.
Bureaucratic Bottlenecks and Budget Constraints
Nationwide, about 60,000 approved teaching posts remain unfilled due to administrative delays and inconsistent local hiring practices. Some provinces have held back recruitment to meet civil service downsizing targets or amid school restructuring efforts.
“Some places have the budgeted positions but do not hire. Others simply cannot find qualified applicants,” said Vu Minh Duc, Director of the Education Ministry’s Teacher Management Department.
To address the issue, education officials and lawmakers have proposed various reforms:
- Improved salary and benefits, especially for teachers in rural areas.
Housing assistance to attract teachers to remote locations.
Government-funded training programs with guaranteed job placement.
Multi-school deployment models to maximize teaching resources.
Local Initiatives and Urgent Campaigns
In Ho Chi Minh City, authorities plan to decentralize hiring decisions to individual schools and prioritize top-performing graduates, particularly in high-demand subjects like music, English, and IT.
Meanwhile, in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, local officials are working urgently to hire 1,297 teachers before July 1. The province currently has over 505,000 students and is short nearly 1,200 teachers.
In Long An Province, preparations are underway to implement full-day schooling, but staffing and infrastructure remain inadequate. “We’re ready to implement the policy,” said Phan Thi Da Thao, Deputy Head of the provincial education department. “But we need clear guidance and more resources.”
A Call to Action
The education ministry has acknowledged that solving the shortage will require a comprehensive, nationwide effort that balances policy reform, financial incentives, and tailored local solutions.
With the 2025–26 school year fast approaching, the government faces growing pressure to act decisively—both to support the future of Vietnam’s students and to maintain public confidence in its education system.
For updates on this developing story and other education reforms, stay tuned to Vietnam Insider.
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Source: Vietnam Insider