Primary school teachers must have a pedagogical certificate

The Lao Dong Newspaper Legal Consulting Office replied:

Article 28 of the 2025 Law on Teachers (effective from January 1, 2026) stipulates the standard training level of teachers as follows:

1. Except for the case specified in Clause 2 of this Article, the standard training level of teachers is stipulated as follows:

a) Having a diploma or higher from a pedagogical college for preschool teachers;

b) Have a bachelor's degree or higher in teacher training relevant to the subject, teaching level or have a bachelor's degree or higher in a major relevant to the subject, teaching level and have a pedagogical certificate for primary, secondary and high school teachers;

c) Have a master's degree or higher for teachers teaching at university level; have a doctorate degree for teachers teaching at postgraduate level, guiding master's thesis, doctoral thesis;

d) The standard training level of teachers in vocational training institutions is implemented according to the provisions of the Law on Vocational Education.

2. The Government stipulates the standard training level for teachers teaching special subjects, teachers teaching ethnic minority languages; teachers teaching majors and occupations in the fields of health, culture, arts, physical education and sports; teachers performing training and fostering tasks in schools of state agencies, political organizations, and the People's Armed Forces.

3. The Government shall prescribe the roadmap for implementing the standard training level for preschool, primary and secondary school teachers as prescribed in Point a and Point b, Clause 1 of this Article. The use of teachers who do not meet the standard requirements specified in Point a and Point b, Clause 1 of this Article during the implementation period shall be implemented in accordance with the regulations of the Minister of Education and Training.

According to the above regulations, in addition to having a bachelor's degree or higher in teacher training relevant to the subject, teaching level or having a bachelor's degree or higher in a major relevant to the subject or level of teaching level, teachers must have a pedagogical certificate.