State management of vocational education in Vietnam: Inconstancy in the past and present challenges

Abstract

Vocational education is a level of the national education system, providing primary, intermediate, college and other vocational training programs. Vocational education has been formed and developed in Vietnam since 1945 until now as an inevitable requirement of the economy and society. This article presents state management activities for vocational education through periods and connects them to outline the ups and downs in the past and current challenges. The results show that state management activities are a major concern of the Vietnamese Government in all historical periods. Although it continuously shows worried and concern, the Government squirms and has not found any feasible solution in real terms to manage vocational education effectively. After nearly 80 years of construction and development, Vietnamese education has the opportunity to approach concept of vocational education in the world; The Government has institutionalized a number of viewpoints, guidelines and policies to develop vocational education. State management of vocational education in Vietnam today still has many existing challenges.