Vocational secondary school level is determined to be on par with high school
The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Education Law was just voted by the National Assembly on December 10 and took effect from January 1, 2026.
In addition to breakthroughs such as: Unifying shared textbooks, Not granting secondary school graduation certificates from 2026, identifying educational support personnel for the first time... another important new point is restructuring the national education system.
The amended Law in Articles 6 and 35 stipulates the structure of the national education system with additional vocational secondary schools, in the field of vocational education. This level is determined to be on par with high school and is for learners who have completed the junior high school education program.
Vocational high school graduates can continue to study at higher levels such as university, college and intermediate. The Minister of Education and Training will specify the inter-level learning between vocational secondary schools, intermediate schools, colleges and universities.
According to the new adjustment, the national education certificate list is supplemented with a vocational secondary school, opening up two equal educational options for 15-year-old students: studying in high school for academic orientation or choosing vocational secondary school to develop vocational skills early.
Currently, students who have completed the junior high school program or are not continuing to study grade 10 in high school can choose to study at a continuing education center or under the 9+ program of intermediate schools and vocational colleges. The 9+ program integrates two contents: continuing education and vocational training and intermediate vocational training.
After 3 years, if passing the high school graduation exam, students will have a high school diploma and a vocational secondary school diploma, thereby being able to study at higher training levels or participate in the labor market.
Clearly regulate the entrance for each level of university and postgraduate training
Regarding the training levels of higher education, the Law amends and supplements a number of articles of the Education Law to specify the input for each level of undergraduate and postgraduate training as follows:
11. Amend and supplement Article 38 as follows:
"Article 38. Higher education training levels
1. University-level training for learners who have graduated from high school, vocational high school or equivalent or higher.
2. Postgraduate training includes:
a) Master's degree training for students with university degrees or higher;
b) Doctoral training for students with a master's degree or higher.
3. The Minister of Education and Training stipulates the inter-level learning between vocational secondary schools, intermediate schools, colleges and universities".
