Luong Thi Hong Diep, head of the Preschool Education Division at the HCM City Department of Education and Training, said a survey of 15,554 teachers at preschool education institutions found that only 484 had English proficiency at B2 level or equivalent, accounting for 3.11 per cent.
This means nearly 97 per cent of those surveyed had not reached that level.
Nearly 97 per cent of Ho Chi Minh City preschool teachers do not meet the B2 English standard (Illustrative photo: AI)
The findings were compiled from reports by 65 wards and communes and three preschools directly managed by the department. Of the 1,484 institutions surveyed, including 156 public facilities, 450 non-public facilities and 878 independent childcare groups and classes, 741 offered English familiarisation activities for kindergarten-age children, accounting for 48.9 per cent.
The department said such activities in many areas were concentrated in preschools and had barely reached independent childcare groups and classes. At most institutions, teachers from foreign-language centres led the activities, while preschool teachers mainly helped manage classes and support children.
Diep said the biggest obstacle was that preschool teachers lacked confidence in communicating with children in English. As a result, English familiarisation activities relied largely on teachers from foreign-language centres. In some areas, no teachers had reached B2 level or above, meaning implementation was concentrated in a number of well-equipped public preschools.
The situation shows that many preschool teachers are not yet able to organise activities independently in English or use the language regularly when communicating with children during daily routines. In addition to language proficiency, they need practical listening and speaking skills, accurate pronunciation and appropriate teaching methods, rather than simply meeting certificate requirements.
To implement its 2026-2045 project to make English a second language in early childhood education, HCM City estimates that it will need more than VND 738 billion (approximately USD 28.8 million).
The funding is expected to cover teacher training and professional development, the development of learning materials and resources, facility construction and upgrades, equipment purchases, digital infrastructure, platforms and technology, as well as other related tasks.
Diep said the department would develop training plans tailored to different levels of teacher proficiency. Priority would be given to teachers already at B1 level who could be trained to reach B2, alongside the development of a core group of teachers.
The department will also consider policies to provide teachers with time and financial support to attend advanced courses, while exploring measures to attract personnel with strong English skills to meet the project's requirements.