About VVOB in Vietnam

The Context in Vietnam 

Vietnam has made remarkable progress in education. Enrolment rates in early childhood and primary education are above 90%, and learners often perform above peers in other lower- and middle-income countries. However, teaching in Vietnam is often knowledge-heavy, teacher-led and exam-driven, leaving little space for play, autonomy, and socio-emotional growth. This limits children’s opportunities to develop the full range of competences they need for today’s ever-changing world. 

Additionally, despite the positive evolution, persistent inequalities remain: children with disabilities, children from families living in poverty, from migrant families, ethnic minority groups, and disadvantaged areas still face barriers to learning. 

Our Solution 

VVOB supports Vietnam’s education reforms by enhancing the professional development of teachers and school leaders. Together with national and provincial partners, we focus on: 

• Learning through play – VVOB is a global leader in play-based learning. In Vietnam, we work with education authorities to move from knowledge-focused teaching to competency-based learning. By integrating play and autonomy into classrooms and school culture, we help children develop creativity, resilience, critical thinking and other 21st century skills. We also work with universities to embed play-based learning into teacher training curricula, ensuring that future educators can keep play at the heart of their teaching. 
• Language-rich learning environments – We help preschool teachers and school leaders create classroom practices that give every child – especially those from ethnic minority backgrounds – the chance to develop confidence and skills in the Vietnamese language. 
• Process-oriented child monitoring: Selected as a remarkable education innovation by the HundrED Global Collection, our process-oriented child monitoring approach helps preschool teachers create more effective and supportive learning environments. By observing and tracking students' wellbeing and involvement, teachers can better understand the needs of each child, identify those at risk of falling behind, and adjust their teaching methods accordingly. 
  This approach works within Vietnam’s inclusive education policy and can help teachers to support children with disabilities.  
• Gender-responsive pedagogy – We support teachers and school leaders to challenge harmful stereotypes and create classrooms where girls and boys participate equally and thrive on the same terms. 
• School-based professional development – We invest in a more performant continuous professional development system, where teachers and school leaders learn together in ways that are more relevant, practice-oriented, inclusive, and sustainable. 

Evidence of Success 

• Play-based learning at scale: With the Ministry’s endorsement, VVOB has co-developed national training materials and an e-course on learning through play in primary education, rolled out across all provinces. By July 2025, it had reached 176,000 teachers, 1,452,000 students, and 2.9 million parents nationwide. 
• Language-rich preschools: In collaboration with provincial and district education authorities, teachers and school leaders in ethnically diverse districts are adopting child-centred, language-rich practices that prepare all children for school. 
  “Focused on creating language-rich learning environments, the TALK programme has made a significant contribution to enhancing professional development for school leaders and teachers, and the quality of preschool education in our province, particularly in disadvantaged areas.”, Lam The Hung, Deputy Director of Tuyên Quang Department of Education and Training.   
• Global recognition: VVOB’s Process-oriented child monitoring approach in Vietnam was selected for the HundrED Global Collection 2023 and 2024 as one of the world’s most innovative education practices. 
  “The simplicity of the approach allows it to be scaled and transferred widely to different settings. It is low cost, involves low time commitment and gives teachers effective action points for improving student engagement, wellbeing and learning.”, HundrED academy/advisory board member 
• Systemic uptake: Gender-responsive and play-based approaches are embedded in professional development trajectories for primary school teachers, captured in clear school year plans. School leaders guide through professional teacher meetings and coaching, supporting Vietnam’s nationwide rollout of its competency-based curriculum.  

The Opportunity 

Vietnam’s commitment to inclusive, high-quality education creates a strong foundation to go further — from access to equity, from academic achievement to holistic development. By embedding playful, language-rich, inclusive and gender-responsive approaches into national teacher training and leadership development, Vietnam can ensure every learner has the necessary competences to shape their future. 

VVOB works with national and provincial partners to realise these ambitions in a sustainable manner; creating solutions that last beyond projects and strengthen the education system as a whole. 

Partners 

Guided by our values of quality, integrity, respect, commitment and innovation, we work with: 

• Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) – our closest partner in shaping sustainable and system-level reform. 
• Provincial Departments of Education and Training (DOETs) – our implementing partners who shape the quality of education at school-level. 
• Academic institutions and universities – our technical sparring partners and collaborators in the development of evidence-based professional development trajectories.  
• International supporters – our financial partners in educational change. 

Join Us 

Our progress is only possible through strong partnerships. If you are a policymaker, researcher, or organisation committed to equity in education and playful learning, VVOB is your partner in Vietnam. 

Contact us