Page 15 - Mainstreamer Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2023

MAKING IT WORK
Ideology Change – A Breath of Fresh Air for Vietnam Education

Nghiem
Dinh Dat

Education has played an important role in textbook compiler, the textbook market cannot
gaining prosperity for each individual or society. be competitive, limiting the options of teachers,
Therefore, education has been attached to great students and parents.
ideologies. Meanwhile, values and ideology have “
importance and received much attention to answer
the question of how to make education develop
more comprehensively as well as bring as much
value to society as possible. Nevertheless, creating
It is rare to see a picture of a man
values is essentially dependent on policymakers’

Conversely, the current situation
such a strong interrelation. Ideology, when being doing kitchen or house works.
implemented, helps shape the values. On the is different due to the education
contrary, in some particular way, value creates an
impact on changing ideology. This statement is environment that keeps promoting
true when taking a closer look at the development and empowering women and
history of Vietnam’s education in recent years. students with disabilities, whereby
Different social standards and values of the traditional views towards these
Confucianism, Communism and several major
religions, such as Buddhism and Catholicism, groups have gradually changed.”
have strongly influenced the Vietnamese
education system. Therefore, the Vietnamese After consideration, a competitive textbook
educational sector was previously quite market has been established, and the academic
conservative and became a monopoly sector year 2020–2021 was the first school year teachers,
with a high percentage of involvement of the students and parents had numerous textbook
state and limited socialisation from the private options. This change resulted in deep integration
sector. Consequently, the public infrastructure into the world and an open economy for Vietnam.
was unable to meet the increasing demand of From a traditional and conservative education
society. Policymakers believed that education ideology, it switched to open and flexible
should be strictly controlled and supervised, and education settings that should be considered a
it was impossible to let the private sector join in great breakthrough. Currently, MOET focuses on
developing the education area. Conversely, when implementing its function as a state management
the globalisation process occurred worldwide and agency in the education and training sector,
became an indispensable part of reform progress, and whichever sector can socialise is allowed to
educators’ minds changed. Textbook compiling is a partake, unlike the previous approach. As a result,
very dynamic example. Previously, textbooks were many private schools have been built. Society has
compiled only by the Ministry of Education and many more options that fit their demand, financial
Training (MOET); however, in 2014, a discussion capability and future orientation. When many
was brought about breaking the monopoly role schools are opening, more study opportunities are
in MOET’s textbook compiling and socialising the created. This ideology change helps and directly
market of textbook compiling. If MOET acts as a benefits women and students with disabilities.

Vol. 01, Issue 4 | November 2023 14