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ADB to Boost Teacher Training in Viet Nam

Manila, Philippines (10 January 2007) – ADB will support secondary school teacher education in Viet Nam with a $34 million loan.

“This project will help ensure that students in Viet Nam will receive quality education that expands and improves employment opportunities,” says Sukhdeep Brar, an ADB Senior Education Specialist. “Students will benefit from instruction by a better qualified teaching force.”

Viet Nam has made significant progress in improving access to education, with about 94% of children enrolled in primary school and 51% enrolled in secondary. This compares to a secondary education enrollment rate of only 19% in 1993.

The Government expects enrollment to increase in secondary schools and needs to ambitiously expand the number of qualified teachers in the country. An estimated 58,000 more secondary school teachers will be needed by 2010.

“This large increase will strain the ability of training institutes to supply the teachers required,” Ms. Brar adds. “The challenge is not only to increase the number of trained teachers but also to enhance the quality of training.”

Viet Nam’s economy is growing faster than that of all other Southeast Asian countries and the Government wants to improve the quality of education to sustain the pace of economic growth and maintain competitiveness.

The Upper Secondary and Professional Teacher Development Project will provide money to train secondary teachers, collect and analyze educational data, assist with teacher registration and accreditation, and help modernize equipment and facilities for teachers and students.

In addition to students, those expected to benefit from the project will be secondary school teachers, who will have opportunities to improve their skills through training programs. Also, ethnic minority groups, particularly women, will have greater access to quality teacher training programs through the provision of scholarships, dormitories, and enhanced facilities serving ethnic minority areas.

ADB's loan, covering about 79% of the project cost of $43.18 million, comes from its concessional Asian Development Fund. It carries a 32-year term, including a grace period of 8 years. Interest is charged at 1% per annum during the grace period and 1.5% per annum for the rest of the term. The Government will provide the remaining needed funds of $9.18 million.

The Ministry of Education and Training is the executing agency for the project, which is due for completion in 2012.

ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through pro-poor sustainable economic growth, social development, and good governance. Established in 1966, it is owned by 66 members – 47 from the region. In 2005, it approved loans and grants for projects totaling $6.95 billion, and technical assistance amounting to $198.8 million.

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