Vietnam to make English compulsory subject from first grade under 20-year plan

The plan, approved by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, will run from 2025 to 2045 in three phases and cover all levels of education, from preschool to university.

It aims to make English widely used in teaching, administration, and daily communication in schools, the education ministry said.

By 2030, all elementary schools nationwide are expected to teach English from first grade, sooner than the current third-grade requirement.

The plan will also expand English instruction in universities and vocational institutions.

The education ministry estimated the program will affect about 50,000 schools and nearly 30 million students nationwide.

It said about 22,000 additional English teachers will be needed for preschools and elementary schools, along with training for at least 200,000 school teachers so they can teach their subjects in English by 2035.

Vietnam, where English is already the most widely studied foreign language, hopes the move will strengthen its workforce for global integration and support long-term economic competitiveness.