The Government Office issued Notice No. 562/TB-VPCP on November 2, outlining Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau's conclusions at a meeting reviewing progress in restructuring higher education and vocational training institutions.
Under the directive, the ministry must complete the draft restructuring plan and submit it to the government by November 10.
Higher education institutions must review their operations and propose restructuring plans by December 15, before finalising documents for submission to the competent authorities by January 15, 2027.
For vocational education institutions, including colleges and intermediate vocational schools, the number of public institutions had fallen to 234 as of October 27, down 110, or 31.97 per cent, from July 1, 2025.
The reduction meets the minimum 30 per cent target set by central authorities and the government.
Once all restructuring plans are implemented, the total number of public vocational education institutions is expected to fall by approximately 47.7 per cent.
The Deputy Prime Minister instructed the education ministry to promptly review and issue decisions on mergers and dissolutions within its authority once applications meet regulatory requirements, with the process to be completed by November 20.
The ministry must also coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Justice and relevant authorities to scrutinise proposals to retain vocational institutions operating in specialised fields.
Any exemptions must meet established criteria, fall within the appropriate authority and be supported by sufficient justification. Institutions failing to meet the requirements must not be recommended for retention.
The Government Office acknowledged outstanding difficulties involving organisational structures, staffing, employment policies, finances, assets, land, debts, legal status and students' rights.
The Deputy Prime Minister called for substantive restructuring rather than simply reducing the number of institutions, while ensuring that no gaps in management disrupt training activities.
Ministries, agencies and local authorities must clearly assign responsibility to their leaders, define tasks and deadlines, and monitor implementation.
Any delays must be accompanied by reports explaining their causes, identifying responsibility and outlining corrective measures to prevent disruption to the overall timetable.