THE EDUCATION SYSTEM OF VIETNAM IN THE PAST

“Education”, understood in the social sense, is a way of socializing people. Education has the responsibility of teaching people how to live in society, know the culture in which people are born to live appropriately: how to eat, how to be polite, how to behave, occupations, habits and customs, and others.

I. Vietnam’s educational system in the Feudal Era

Referring to Vietnam's educational system in the feudal period is talking about society from the Hung Kings period to the middle after the 19th century. Over 1000 years under Chinese domination, it is true that the educational model of Vietnam at that time was modeled after China. “Văn Miếu Quốc Tử Giám" was the first university in Vietnam with more than 4000 years of civilization. The educational system at that time consisted of a private school, also known as a village school for the masses, taught by the Confucian elders. The feudal social class was clearly reflected in how students addressed students' names. The king's children, the princess is called “Tôn Sinh”. The children of the mandarins in the court were called “Ấm Sinh”. The children of the district/government officials are called “Cống Sinh”. The feudal exam system is divided into 3 levels: Thi Hương, Thi Hội, and Thi Đình.

II. Vietnam’s education system during the French colonial time

The "new-school" period first took place in the South at the end of the 19th century after the French established their colonial rule here. Schools include public schools that are built, funded, and controlled by the government, and some private Christian or private schools. This new education system is designed to have two goals: The practical goal is to train some people who know French, the National Language (chữ Quốc Ngữ"), and have some knowledge of Western civilization to work as low-ranking civil servants to serve the colonial government, and the ideal goal is to co-exist. Indigenous peoples turned them into French people in terms of culture. The person who zealously achieved the goal of civilizing Vietnamese people was Le Myre de Vilers. schools, from primary schools in the village to primary schools in the district and province, and most especially a Collège de My Tho high school in Cochinchine. This was the first school; by the end of the nineteenth century, it was the only high school for the South.

The French school system:

- Primary school: 5 years.

- Middle School, also known as Junior College: 4 years

- High School: 3 years.

After graduating from high school, French students return to France to study at a university in their mother country.

III. Vietnam’s education system from 1975 until the present

Vietnam was liberated on April 30, 1975. The whole country follows a socialist regime. Therefore, the education system in the South was also unified according to the model of the Soviet Union. However, the North adjusted to the Southern program from elementary to high school. That is, according to the 12-year system: primary school: 5 years; junior high school: 4 years; and high school: 3 years. As for the university system, the first 10 years after liberation, immediately subsided and were strictly managed. Therefore, the activities, as well as the number of students, hardly increase. But since the reform program in the country started, the education system has also started to make progress. In 1998, for the first time in the history of Vietnam, there was a new law on education (including 110 articles). In 1990, for the first time (after 1975) a number of new private and charter schools were allowed to be established. However, compared with the subsidy period, the current education system in the country has improved a lot.

In the past as well as today, being able to go to school was a blessing. It's an honor to have a college degree in hand. If the student life during the four years of college is full of memories of youth, the exam days that have to stay up late studying are also unforgettable. As Vietnamese students, let's try our best to study well in order to contribute a lot to society in the future!