Decision No. 07/2006/QĐ-BLĐTBXH Approving the "Master Plan for the Development of Vocational College Networks, Intermediate Vocational School Networks, and Vocational Training Centers until 2010 and Orientations until 2020"

Pursuant to …;

Approving the "Master Plan for the Development of the Network of Vocational Colleges, Intermediate Vocational Schools, and Training Centers until 2010 and Orientations until 2020" vocational college, vocational secondary school, vocational training center up to 2010 and orientation towards 2020"

THE MINISTER OF LABOR, WAR INVALIDS AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS

Pursuant to the Labour Code dated June 23, 1994; Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Labour Code dated April 2, 2002;

Pursuant to the Education Law dated June 14, 2005;

Pursuant to Decree No. 75/2006/NĐ-CP dated August 2, 2006 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Education Law;

Pursuant to Decree No. 29/2003/NĐ-CP dated March 31, 2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Labour-Social Affairs and Invalids;

Pursuant to Decree No. 92/2006/NĐ-CP dated September 7, 2006 of the Government on the establishment, approval, and management of comprehensive development master plans;

Pursuant to Decree No. 33/1998/NĐ-CP dated May 23, 1998 of the Government on the establishment of the General Department of Vocational Training under the Ministry of Labour-Social Affairs and Invalids;

Based on the consolidation of opinions from ministries, sectors, and localities regarding the draft master plan;

Considering the proposal of the Director-General of the General Department of Vocational Training at Circular No. 73/TTr-TCDN dated October 2, 2006 and the proposal of the Head of the Planning and Finance Department,

Pursuant to …;

Article 1. Approves the "Master Plan for the Development of the Network of Vocational Colleges, Intermediate Vocational Schools, and Training Centers until 2010 and Orientations until 2020" with the following main contents:

1. Views on the master plan

- The master plan for the development of the network of vocational colleges, intermediate vocational schools, and training centers (hereinafter referred to collectively as vocational training institutions) until 2010 and orientations until 2020 must be consistent and synchronized with the national strategy, planning, and economic and social development plans of each sector, region, locality, and enhance the effectiveness of existing vocational training institutions.

- Develop a widespread network of vocational training institutions across the country, diversify vocational training forms, create conditions for workers, youth, farmers, and ethnic minority people to learn trades and start businesses. Establish some high-quality vocational training institutions, some vocational colleges, and intermediate vocational schools that reach advanced levels in the region and the world.

- Expand the scale while improving the quality of vocational training; adjust the occupational structure and educational level structure to meet labor market demands and technological advancements.

- Promote the socialization of vocational training; encourage all organizations and individuals to invest in vocational training, develop private vocational training institutions and vocational training institutions with foreign investment; expand international integration in vocational training.

2. Objectives of the master plan

2.1 General Objective

Develop the network of vocational training institutions to train technical human resources directly involved in production and services to meet the quantity, quality, regional, and occupational structure requirements of the labor market and the structure of educational levels.

2.2 Specific Objectives

- The proportion of workforce with vocational training reaches 26% by 2010; reaching a minimum of 40% by 2020.

- The vocational training structure according to three levels of vocational college, intermediate vocational school, and basic vocational training in total enrollment for vocational training is as follows:

- Enrollment scale reaches 7.5 million people during the period 2006-2010; reaching 21 million people during the period 2011-2020. Specifically, the enrollment scale during the period 2006-2010 is:

3. Orientation for Development

3.1. Distribution of Vocational Training Institutions

- Gradually upgrade and develop vocational training institutions towards standardization and modernization to increase capacity, quality, and training efficiency; focus on investing in high-quality vocational colleges and intermediate vocational schools in key economic regions and concentrated industrial zones for some key economic sectors.

- By 2010: there will be 90 vocational colleges, 270 intermediate vocational schools (including 40 high-quality schools, 3 schools reaching advanced levels in the region and the world) and 750 training centers. Each province (city) will have at least one intermediate vocational school or vocational college; each district, county, town will have at least one training center or a cluster of counties with an intermediate vocational school to facilitate workers learning trades, especially in remote areas, islands, ethnic minorities, and rural areas.

- By 2020: There will be 250 vocational colleges, 400 intermediate vocational schools, and 900 training centers (including 80 high-quality schools, 10 schools reaching advanced levels in the region and the world).

- Distribute vocational colleges and intermediate vocational schools according to eight economic regions by 2010 as follows:

+ Northeast Region: 15 vocational colleges; 24 intermediate vocational schools;

+ Northwest Region: 3 vocational colleges; 6 intermediate vocational schools;

+ Red River Delta Region: 23 vocational colleges; 97 intermediate vocational schools;

+ North Central Coast Region: 8 vocational colleges; 31 intermediate vocational schools;

+ South Central Coast Region: 9 vocational colleges; 30 intermediate vocational schools;

+ Central Highlands Region: 3 vocational colleges; 7 intermediate vocational schools;

+ Southeast Region: 18 vocational colleges; 55 intermediate vocational schools;

+ Mekong Delta Region: 11 vocational colleges; 20 intermediate vocational schools.

3.2. Curriculum and Textbooks for Vocational Training

- Develop and reform the content, curriculum, and textbooks for vocational training according to skill standards suitable for technological advancements in production and reaching advanced levels in the region and the world, ensuring continuous education.

- Develop vocational training curricula using job analysis methods; gradually shift to modular vocational training curricula.

- By 2010: vocational colleges and intermediate vocational schools will have curricula and textbooks suitable for framework curricula. By 2020: vocational colleges and intermediate vocational schools will have curricula and textbooks developed using advanced methods.

3.3. Teaching Staff

- Develop a teaching staff sufficient in number, with moral integrity and professional conscience; meeting the training standards in theory, practice, vocational pedagogy, computer skills, and foreign languages for teaching and scientific research.

- Implement the regular system for training and improving the professional qualifications of teachers and vocational education management staff.

- By 2010: ensure the teacher-to-student ratio reaches approximately 1/20, with 100% of teachers meeting the required educational standards; 10% of teachers in vocational secondary schools and higher vocational colleges have postgraduate degrees.

- By 2020: 30% of teachers in vocational secondary schools and higher vocational colleges have postgraduate degrees.

3.4. Material and Technical Facilities

- Invest in material and technical facilities and equipment for vocational training institutions towards standardization and modernization; ensure that functional zones of construction projects meet the requirements for teaching, learning, and comprehensive education activities.

- By 2010: 60% of higher vocational colleges and vocational secondary schools meet the standards for land, equipment, workshops, classrooms, dormitories, and physical training areas.

- By 2020: 100% of higher vocational colleges and vocational secondary schools meet the standards for land, equipment, workshops, classrooms, dormitories, and physical training areas.

4. Main Solutions

4.1. Solutions on Mechanism and Policy

- Establish a harmonized legal system to promote vocational training, creating motivation for vocational training institutions, vocational teachers, and trainees.

- Reform mechanisms and policies regarding planning and finance for vocational training, gradually implementing tendering and procurement mechanisms for vocational training targets from state budget funds.

- Fully decentralize and reasonably allocate responsibilities to enhance the autonomy and accountability of all levels and vocational training institutions; streamline procedures and processes for establishing and operating vocational training institutions in a simple and rational manner.

- Implement quality assurance assessments for vocational training: by 2010, 50% of higher vocational colleges and vocational secondary schools will be assessed and recognized for their quality assurance conditions; by 2020, all vocational training institutions will be assessed and recognized for their quality assurance conditions.

- Organize national skill certification for at least 20 trades by 2010 and 150 trades by 2020.

4.2. Financial Mobilization Solutions

- Implement the Project on Promoting Socialization in Vocational Training until 2010 according to Decision No. 1000/2005/QĐ-BLĐTBXH dated June 7, 2005 of the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs. Encourage and create favorable conditions for domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to invest in establishing private vocational training institutions and vocational training institutions with foreign capital; expand forms of contractual joint training, scientific research, and technology transfer between Vietnamese vocational training institutions and foreign vocational training institutions.

- Increase state budget investment in vocational training so that by 2010 it reaches 11% of total state budget spending on education, training, and vocational training; effectively utilize the project "Strengthening Training Capacity" under the National Target Program on Education and Training for the period 2006-2010 with a budget of about 60,000 billion VND from the central budget to support investment in strengthening infrastructure for vocational training institutions, including: focusing on forming 40 high-quality schools, supporting investment in infrastructure and equipment for district-level vocational training centers; supporting training and upgrading the quality of the vocational teacher and management staff; supporting the establishment of skill standards and vocational training programs; supporting vocational training for farmers, disabled people, and ethnic minorities.

- Implement the right to self-management and self-responsibility for tasks, organizational structure, staffing, and finance of public service units according to Decree No. 43/2006/NĐ-CP dated April 25, 2006 of the Government. Expand production linked to student internships in vocational training institutions to improve students' practical skills and generate income to supplement training costs. By 2020, income from production services and new technology applications should reach about 25% of total income of vocational training institutions; 100% of vocational secondary schools and higher vocational colleges will implement scientific and technological research and application activities in vocational training and serve society.

- Pilot and gradually expand the dual-vocational training model sharing training costs between the state and enterprises.

- Utilize non-reimbursable foreign aid, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations; obtain loans with preferential interest rates from countries and international banks to invest in vocational training.

4.3. Solutions on Building Teacher and Management Staff Teams

- Implement Directive No. 40-CT/TW dated June 15, 2004 of the Politburo and Decision No. 09/2005/QĐ-TTg dated January 11, 2005 of the Prime Minister on building and improving the quality of the teaching staff and educational management team for the period 2005-2010. Focus on investing in existing technical teacher training universities; upgrade Vinh Long College of Education to Vinh Long University of Technology Education; develop one to two additional technical teacher training colleges in the coastal South Central and Central Highlands regions; develop technical education departments in some colleges and universities.

- Develop and implement plans for training and upgrading teachers to meet the needs of the planned number, educational level, and occupational structure.

- Expand contractual arrangements with experts, technical personnel, and senior workers from enterprises and research institutes to serve as visiting lecturers at vocational training institutions.

- Prioritize training vocational teachers for provinces in the Northern Mountains, Central Highlands, Mekong Delta, and Southern Coastal Central region.

- Establish a center for training and upgrading vocational education management staff; by 2010, 50% of management staff will meet the standards; by 2020, 100% will meet the standards.

4.4. Solutions on Science and Technology

- Apply information technology to vocational training activities and management: develop software for teaching, learning, and managing vocational training; develop electronic lesson plans; establish a vocational training information network.

- Encourage vocational training institutions to research and produce vocational training equipment, tools, and materials.

- Develop scientific research activities, technology transfer, and production in vocational training institutions to link learning with practical training.

4.5. Solutions for implementation organization

a) Provincial People's Committees under the Central Government and Ministries and sectors with vocational training institutions shall perform the following tasks:

- Review and rearrange existing vocational training institutions to develop and implement planning for the network of vocational training institutions until 2010 and orientation until 2020 within the scope and management responsibility of each Ministry, sector, and locality. Complete the conversion of current vocational schools (meeting the required conditions) into vocational colleges before December 31, 2006.

- Annually mobilize resources and prioritize budget allocation to implement the planning.

- Urge, inspect the implementation of the planning; report according to the prescribed regulations.

b) The General Department of Vocational Training:

- Coordinate with relevant agencies of the Ministry to guide Ministries, sectors, and localities in developing planning and plans for the development of the vocational training institution network and incorporate them into the socio-economic development plans of the industry and locality;

- Coordinate with relevant agencies of the Ministry of Construction to prepare annual state budget estimates for vocational training; have specific plans to mobilize and effectively utilize financial resources to ensure the implementation of the planning;

- Based on the contents approved in this Decision, urge, inspect, compile, and report to the Ministry according to the prescribed regulations;

- Organize the review of proposals for establishing vocational college institutions (both public and private) to be submitted to the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs for decision.

Article 2. The Standard Measurement Quality Control Department shall be responsible for organizing and guiding the implementation of the Regulations adopted herein.

Article 3. Ministries, agencies equivalent to ministries, agencies directly under the Government, Provincial People's Committees under the Central Government, Heads of the Ministry's Office, Directors of the General Department of Vocational Training, Heads of the Planning and Finance Department, Directors of Provincial Departments of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, and related agencies and units are responsible for implementing this Decision.