The Ministry of Education and Training has just issued Circular No. 38/2026/TT-BGDDT regulating the Standards for Vocational Education Institutions, in order to establish a unified framework of requirements on quality assurance conditions and operating indicators of vocational education institutions; enhance transparency, accountability, promote data-based governance and improve training quality associated with the requirements of the labor market.
The Circular is the basis for vocational education institutions to conduct self-assessment, review, and develop plans for improvement and development; and at the same time serve state management, network planning, investment and quality supervision of vocational education.
Establishing 6 quality assurance conditions
The Circular stipulates 6 quality assurance conditions that vocational education institutions must meet, including: Organizational structure and management; teaching staff and management staff; training programs and curricula; facilities and training equipment; financial resources; digital management systems and data.
In which, the Circular requires vocational education institutions to ensure that the organizational structure and governance mechanism are established and operated in accordance with the provisions of law, in accordance with functions, tasks, scale and development orientation; The teaching staff must ensure sufficient quantity; professional standards by industry, profession, training level; Have full programs and textbooks for training industries and professions,...
Quantifying operational quality with 10 specific indicators
The Circular stipulates 10 operating indicators of vocational education institutions to assess training effectiveness, level of meeting quality requirements and linkage with the labor market.
Many indicators are determined with specific requirements thresholds, such as: The percentage of graduates who have jobs suitable for the training industry or profession group or continue to study to improve their qualifications reaches 70% or more; the percentage of learners and graduates who are satisfied with the quality of training reaches 70% or more; the percentage of employers who are satisfied with the job requirements of graduates reaches 70% or more; the percentage of training programs with employer participation in the training process reaches 70% or more...
The Circular also sets out requirements to promote digital transformation in vocational education, in which the proportion of subjects and modules that ensure online teaching conditions of each training program must reach 20% or more.
In addition, some indicators reflecting the training effectiveness and training organization capacity of vocational education institutions are also specifically regulated, such as: the enrollment rate on the enrollment target reaches 50% or more; the rate of learners completing the training program on time reaches 60% or more; the rate of teaching time held by full-time teachers reaches 60% or more.
Strengthening data management and accountability
According to the Circular, the assessment of the level of meeting the standards of vocational education institutions is carried out on the basis of data and updated evidence of vocational education institutions. Annually, institutions must self-assess the level of meeting the standards; data is finalized on December 31 of the reporting year and the completion result report is reported no later than March 31 of the immediately preceding year.
Self-assessment results must be publicized according to regulations. Vocational education institutions are also responsible for reviewing, improving and developing plans to maintain and improve the level of meeting standards.
The Circular also clearly stipulates the responsibilities of the Ministry of Education and Training, Departments of Education and Training and direct management agencies in updating data, guiding, inspecting, evaluating and publicizing the results of implementing vocational education institution standards.
The Circular takes effect from April 29, 2026. For vocational education institutions that have been established, allowed to be established, divided, separated or merged before January 1, 2026, the Circular stipulates a 60-month period from the date the Circular takes effect to meet the requirements of vocational education institution standards. During this time, institutions must still update data, self-assess and develop an improvement roadmap according to regulations.
