From 2026, no secondary school graduation certificates will be issued
The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Education was voted by the National Assembly on the morning of December 10 and took effect from January 1, 2026.
The new law was passed stipulating that the diploma of the national education system is a document expressed in the form of a paper or number issued to learners upon graduation from high school; learners who have completed the educational program, training program and meet the output standards of the corresponding qualifications in vocational education, higher education.
The national education system's qualifications include: High school diploma, vocational high school diploma, intermediate diploma, college diploma, bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctoral degree, and specialized training program diploma of a number of specialized majors and fields.
The certificate of the national education system is a document expressed in the form of a document or number issued to learners to confirm their learning results after being trained, supported to improve their educational qualifications, professional skills or issued to learners taking the exam to get a certificate according to regulations.
Thus, compared to current regulations, the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Education removes the granting of junior high school graduation certificates, replacing them with the phrase "completion of junior high school program or equivalent".
Students who have completed the primary education program or the secondary education program and meet the conditions prescribed by the Minister of Education and Training will have their transcript confirmed by the school principal for "completion of the secondary school program or equivalent".
Students who have completed the high school education program and meet the conditions prescribed by the Minister of Education and Training will be allowed to take the exam, and if they meet the requirements, will be granted a high school diploma by the school principal.
In case students do not take the exam or do not meet the requirements, the principal of the school will issue a certificate of completion of the general education program. The certificate of completion of the general education program is used to register for the high school graduation exam when the student has a need or to study vocational education and is used in specific cases according to the provisions of law.
The draft also stipulates that diplomas and certificates are issued in paper or digital formats, to promote the implementation of policies on digital transformation in education.
For specialized postgraduate training programs in the field of health that grant degrees such as resident doctors, specialist doctors, the guidance on organization and implementation and management is implemented by the Ministry of Health according to the provisions of the draft Law on Higher Education (amended),...
Unifying a shared textbook set
Regarding the regulations on general education textbooks, the Law clearly states: "The Government stipulates the exemption of textbooks for students". The Minister of Education and Training decides on a set of general education textbooks for national unification.
The National Council for textbook appraisal is prescribed and established by the Minister of Education and Training for each subject and educational activity to appraise textbooks. The Council and Council members are responsible for the content and quality of the appraisal.
The Minister of Education and Training approves textbooks for use in general education institutions after being assessed and classified by the National Council for the assessment of textbooks; stipulates standards, the process of compiling and editing general education textbooks.
