Teacher English proficiency emerges as key barrier to Vietnam's bilingual push

Vietnam's drive to establish English as a second language in schools faces a fundamental hurdle: many teachers lack sufficient proficiency in the language themselves, according to new research by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), a leading U.S.-based testing organization.

The ETS conducted a comprehensive survey encompassing 35,000 teachers across six Vietnamese provinces and cities to assess the feasibility of the nation's English-as-second-language initiative. The research identified teacher language proficiency as the most significant challenge impeding the program's success, suggesting that inadequate educator preparation poses a substantial barrier to implementation.

The findings highlight a systemic gap between Vietnam's educational ambitions and current workforce capabilities. Without addressing the English competency levels of the teaching force, experts suggest the nation will struggle to achieve its goal of producing a generation of bilingual Vietnamese citizens equipped for an increasingly globalized economy.

The research underscores the need for substantial investment in teacher training and professional development programs to build the linguistic foundation necessary for widespread English instruction. Educational officials in Vietnam face pressure to develop comprehensive strategies to upgrade educator skills before expanding English language requirements across the school system.

The study results come as Vietnam continues efforts to strengthen its position in regional and international markets, where English proficiency is increasingly viewed as essential for economic competitiveness and workforce mobility.