Circular No. 15/2025/TT-BGDĐT guides the functions, duties, and authorities of the Department of Education and Training under the People's Committee of provinces and centrally governed cities and the Cultural and Social Affairs Office under the People's Committee of communes, wards, and special administrative regions within provinces and centrally governed cities in the field of education and training.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines on the functions, tasks, and authorities of the Department of Education and Training under the People's Committee of provinces and cities directly under the Central Government and the Cultural and Social Affairs Office under the People's Committee of communes and wards directly under the Central Government in the field of education and training

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Pursuant to the Law on Local Administration Organization No. 72/2025/QH15;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 37/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 26, 2025, stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

Pursuant to Decree No. 142/2025/NĐ-CP dated June 12, 2025 of the Government stipulating the division of authority between two levels of local government in the field of state management by the Ministry of Education and Training;

Pursuant to Decree No. 143/2025/NĐ-CP dated June 12, 2025 of the Government stipulating the delegation and decentralization in the field of state management by the Ministry of Education and Training;

Pursuant to Decree No. 150/2025/NĐ-CP dated June 12, 2025 of the Government stipulating the organization of specialized agencies under the People's Committees of provinces and cities directly under the Central Government and the People's Committees of communes and wards directly under the Central Government;

The phrase "or examination" is abolished pursuant to Clause 6, Article 8 of Circular No. 15/2025/TT-BVHTTDL dated November 25, 2025, of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism amending and supplementing certain articles of Circulars prescribing job codes, qualification standards, and salary grades for civil servants in the heritage culture, library, grassroots cultural activities, sports, fine arts, art performance, film, and cultural propaganda sectors, which takes effect from January 15, 2026.

The Minister of Education and Training issues this Circular guiding the functions, tasks, and authorities of the Department of Education and Training under the People's Committee of provinces and cities directly under the Central Government and the Cultural and Social Affairs Office under the People's Committee of communes and wards directly under the Central Government in the field of education and training.

PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular guides the functions, tasks, and authorities of the Department of Education and Training under the People's Committee of provinces and cities directly under the Central Government (hereinafter referred to collectively as provincial level) and the Cultural and Social Affairs Office under the People's Committee of communes and wards directly under the Central Government (hereinafter referred to collectively as commune level) in the field of education and training.

Article 2. Applicability

This Circular applies to Departments of Education and Training under the People's Committees at the provincial level, Cultural and Social Affairs Offices under the People's Committees at the commune level, relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals.

Chapter II
FUNCTIONS, TASKS, AND POWERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Article 3. Position and Functions

1. The Department of Education and Training is a specialized agency under the People's Committee at the provincial level, performing the function of advising and assisting the People's Committee at the provincial level in managing state affairs regarding: Early childhood education; general education; vocational education, continuing education; higher education (if applicable), and performing other functions as assigned, delegated, or authorized by the People's Committee at the provincial level, the Chairman of the People's Committee at the provincial level in accordance with the law.

2. The Department of Education and Training has legal personality, its own seal and separate account in accordance with the law; it implements directives and management over organizational structure, staffing, and personnel work by the People's Committee at the provincial level; at the same time, it is subject to guidance, supervision, and inspection in professional matters by the Ministry of Education and Training.

1. Advising the People's Committee at the provincial level

a) Resolutions of the People's Council at the provincial level, decisions of the People's Committee at the provincial level promulgating plans, programs, projects, policies, and measures for the development of educational undertakings in the province in line with the national education development strategy and the socio-economic development plan of the locality;

b) Resolutions of the People's Council at the provincial level deciding special policies for the teaching staff, educational institution managers, civil servants, workers, and students in public educational institutions;

c) Plans for implementing the development planning of the education system, investment plans for building infrastructure, resources, and funds to ensure conditions for organizing teaching and applying information technology, digital transformation in education in the province within the scope of authority prescribed;

d) Resolutions of the People's Council at the provincial level deciding the tuition fee framework or specific tuition fees, service charges supporting educational activities for public educational institutions in the province in accordance with the law;

h) Decisions to implement socialization of activities providing public services in the field of education and training within the authority of the People's Committee at the provincial level;

k) Documentation for recognizing the province as having achieved the third-level standard for universal primary education and second-level literacy, and requesting the Ministry of Education and Training to recognize such achievement;

l) Other contents necessary to perform the state management function in the field of education and training within the authority of the People's Committee at the provincial level and as required or requested by the Government, Prime Minister, and the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. Advising the Chairman of the People's Committee at the provincial level

a) Issuing documents on education within the authority of the Chairman of the People's Committee at the provincial level as assigned;

b) Deciding to include ethnic minority languages in teaching according to the Government's regulations and other related laws;

c) Deciding to issue plans and programs for developing the teaching staff, educational institution managers, civil servants, and workers in educational institutions in the province;

d) Deciding to establish school boards, recognizing, appointing, dismissing the Chairperson of school boards, supplementing, replacing members of school boards; recognizing, appointing, reappointing, extending the term of service, relieving from duty, dismissing, changing job positions, rewarding, and disciplining principals and deputy principals of educational institutions under the provincial jurisdiction according to the qualifications and procedures prescribed by law;

đ) Deciding to permit the establishment, dissolution, and termination of operations of early childhood education institutions and general education institutions proposed by diplomatic agencies of foreign countries and intergovernmental international organizations according to current laws;

e) Deciding to convert early childhood education institutions and general education institutions established by diplomatic agencies of foreign countries and intergovernmental international organizations into non-profit entities according to current laws;

g) Deciding to announce the province as having achieved the first and second-level standards for universal primary education and the first-level standard for literacy according to the provisions;

l) Other contents necessary to perform state management tasks in the field of education within the authority of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and upon the requirements of the Government, Prime Minister, and Ministry of Education and Training;

3. To submit to competent authorities for decision-making or decide according to their authority on the establishment, permission to establish, permission to operate education, restructuring, merger, division, dissolution, conversion of types of educational institutions, and decisions to establish, permit to establish branch schools, terminate operations of secondary vocational school branches under their management as stipulated by current laws;

4. On finance and assets for education

a) Guide and organize the implementation of resource mobilization for education development, ensuring the autonomy and responsibility of subordinate educational institutions; manage the assets of educational institutions assigned according to the provisions of the law;

b) Develop the budget estimate for education, decide on allocation and assignment of the budget estimate for subordinate educational institutions after approval by competent authorities; approve final accounts, notify annual final accounts, and compile reports on final accounts of subordinate educational institutions; coordinate with the Department of Finance to determine and balance the state budget allocated annually for education within the scope of local state management and report to competent authorities. Responsible for payment (or authorize educational institutions to pay), settle tuition fee exemptions, reductions, and support for learning expenses according to the provisions of the law;

5. On the teaching staff, educational institution managers, civil servants, employees, and training and development

a) Lead the implementation according to the Teachers Law, relevant legal regulations, and the delegation of the provincial People's Committee regarding the recruitment, acceptance, transfer, secondment, and reassignment of teaching staff, educational institution managers, civil servants, and employees in public educational institutions within the province;

b) Lead the management, utilization, change of occupational titles, training, development, and evaluation of teaching staff, educational institution managers, civil servants, and employees in public educational institutions within the province according to the delegation of the provincial People's Committee and the Teachers Law;

6. On job positions, organizational structure of civil servants and employees by occupational titles and civil servant quotas, number of personnel working in public service units

d) Decide according to the delegation or submit to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for decision on regular salary increments, early salary increments, and other salary systems and policies such as allowances, bonuses, and other benefits for employees and contractual workers in educational institutions under management according to the law and the regulations of the provincial People's Committee;

7. On educational content and programs

b) Manage professionally the implementation of regular education programs of continuing education centers, vocational education and continuing education centers, community learning centers, and other centers performing regular education tasks as prescribed; Responsible for explaining educational activities, education quality, teacher and student management, and implementing education development policies within the scope of management before the Provincial People's Council, Provincial People's Committee, and the entire society;

c) Provide professional guidance to people holding education-related positions in the People's Committees at the commune level;

d) Compile the wishes of ethnic minority people within the area and prepare reports on ensuring conditions and incorporating ethnic minority languages into teaching, and advise the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to decide on teaching ethnic minority languages within the area;

8. On organizing activities and managing educational institutions

a) Decision to establish the school board, recognize, appoint, remove from office the Chairman of the school board, supplement, replace members of the school board, and decide on recognition, appointment, reappointment, extension of working time until retirement age, removal from position, dismissal, change of job position, reward, and discipline for the heads and deputy heads of public educational institutions under its management authority; recognition, supplementation, improvement of the school board, board of directors, recognition, dismissal, removal from office, replacement of the chairman and vice-chairman of the school board, principal, and vice-principal, and replacement of the chairman, secretary, and members of the board of directors or termination of the operation of the board of directors of private educational institutions under its management authority according to the standards and procedures prescribed by law. Appointment decision for the heads and deputy heads of public educational institutions under state management jurisdiction from two or more administrative units at the commune level or higher;

d) Manage teaching and educational activities both inside and outside schools; direct the implementation of moral education, lifestyle education, and school safety education; organize the implementation of plans to implement the reform project of general education curricula and textbooks; implement and direct the implementation of educational communication work within its jurisdiction;

đ) Take the lead and coordinate with the People's Committee at the commune level to effectively implement inclusive education policies as directed by the People's Committee at the provincial level; ensure minimum conditions to meet the requirements of inclusive education at the local level; mobilize and organize, create conditions for persons with disabilities to study in inclusive education settings;

e) Guide the People's Committee at the commune level in performing state management functions in education;

g) Delegate to the People's Committee at the commune level to perform one or several tasks and powers within the scope of state management in education of the Department of Education and Training;

h) Take the lead and coordinate with the People's Committee at the commune level to build content for cooperation in management and organization of related educational activities of general education schools with multiple levels where the highest level is secondary general education within its jurisdiction;

9. Regarding inspection in education

a) Guide and inspect the conditions ensuring educational quality in educational institutions under its management authority;

b) Inspect compliance with laws by educational institutions under the state management authority of the commune level;

c) Implement inspections, receive citizens' complaints, resolve complaints and denunciations, prevent corruption, waste, and negative practices, and handle violations in education according to the provisions of the law for educational institutions under its management;

d) Coordinate with the People's Committee at the commune level to guide the inspection of the organization and operation of education and training centers within its jurisdiction;

đ) Guide the inspection of the allocation and use of state budget and other legitimate financial sources for education within the province;

e) Direct, guide, inspect, and supervise the implementation of legal regulations regarding the system of policies for the staff and workers at educational institutions under its management;

g) Guide and inspect the organization of implementation of regulations on ensuring information security, cybersecurity, and personal data protection for information technology systems and educational databases under its management authority;

10. Award or propose to competent authorities to award commendations to organizations and individuals who have made significant achievements in educational activities within its jurisdiction;

11. Guide and resolve issues within its authority or propose to competent authorities to resolve issues arising in the implementation of salary, allowance, and bonus policies for teachers, educational institution managers, civil servants, and workers in educational institutions within the province according to the law and the regulations of the People's Committee at the provincial level;

12. Guide and organize the implementation of updating information and data about education under its management into the education sector database, ensuring completeness, accuracy, timeliness, and connectivity with school management systems and relevant national databases; carry out statistical work, periodic and ad hoc reporting, and transparency in the field of education within its jurisdiction according to regulations with the People's Committee at the provincial level and the Ministry of Education and Training;

13. Organize the implementation of public services in the field of education within the scope of state management of the Department of Education and Training;

14. Be responsible for explaining educational activities, educational quality, teacher and student management, and the implementation of educational development policies within its jurisdiction before the People's Committee at the provincial level and the Ministry of Education and Training according to regulations;

15. Manage and be responsible for finances and assets assigned according to the law and the regulations of the People's Committee at the provincial level;

16. Perform other tasks and powers within the scope of defined authority, delegation, decentralization, and delegation according to the law and other regulations of competent authorities.

Chapter III
FUNCTIONS, TASKS, POWERS OF THE CULTURAL AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT UNDER THE COMMUNE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Article 5. Functions

The Cultural and Social Affairs Department advises and assists the Commune People's Committee in performing state management functions in the following areas: Early childhood education; general education (early childhood education institutions, primary schools, junior high schools, comprehensive schools with the highest grade being junior high school); community learning centers.

1. Advising the Commune People's Committee

a) Resolution of the Commune People's Assembly, decision of the Commune People's Committee on the development plan for education in the commune area; organizing the implementation of the local education development plan when approved; developing plans to implement educational programs and projects in the commune area when approved;

b) Decision, plan, program, project on the development of early childhood education, primary education, and junior high school education in the commune area consistent with the provincial education development strategy and the local socio-economic development plan; plan to implement universal education and literacy in the commune area.

2. Advising the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee

a) Decision, plan, and other documents related to the field of education within the authority to issue by the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee as assigned;

b) Decision on establishing or allowing establishment, operation of education, suspending education activities, merging, splitting, dissolving, and converting types of educational institutions under their management authority according to current laws;

3. On finance and property for education

a) Coordinating with relevant specialized agencies to advise and present to the Commune People's Committee decisions on land planning, land use plans, and education development plans in the commune area within the delegated management authority;

c) Coordinating with relevant specialized agencies to advise and present to the Commune People's Committee decisions on budget allocation and assignment to subordinate educational institutions upon approval by the competent authority; auditing final accounts, announcing annual final accounts, and compiling reports on final accounts of the budget of subordinate educational institutions;

d) Coordinating with relevant specialized agencies to advise and assist the Commune People's Committee in guiding and inspecting the issuance and use of state budget funds and other lawful financial sources for educational institutions in the commune area according to regulations;

đ) Coordinating with relevant specialized agencies to advise and present to the Commune People's Committee decisions on payment (or delegating educational institutions to make payments), settlement of fees for exemption, reduction of tuition, support for study expenses, tuition fee support, and other policies according to the law;

e) Coordinating with relevant specialized agencies to advise and present to the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee plans and investments in educational institutions in the commune area according to regulations; reporting to the competent authority on the situation of fundraising, receiving, managing, and using sponsorships for educational institutions under their management authority.

4. Advising and assisting the Commune People's Committee in guiding, disseminating, and implementing legal regulatory documents on education; implementing plans, programs, projects, policies, and other contents about education after approval by the competent authority.

5. Advising and assisting the Commune People's Committee to ensure the implementation of state management tasks in the field of education related to the functions, tasks, powers, and organization of specialized departments under the Commune People's Committee.

6. Regarding the teaching staff, educational institution managers, civil servants, workers, job positions, and the structure of civil servants by occupational title, number of employees in public service units

a) Advising and presenting to the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee plans proposing the demand for teaching staff under their management authority, reporting to the competent authority as prescribed;

b) Advising and presenting to the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee decisions approving job positions, adjusting job positions, and the structure of civil servants by occupational title in public educational institutions under their management authority; managing job positions, the structure of civil servants by occupational title, and the number of employees in educational institutions under their management authority.

7. Advising and assisting the Commune People's Committee in implementing preschool education programs, primary education programs, junior high school education programs, regular education, vocational education in the locality.

8. On organizing activities and managing educational institutions

b) Advising and assisting the Commune People's Committee in organizing the implementation of autonomy rights, accountability for the performance of tasks, ensuring educational quality, and educational activities under their management authority;

c) Advise and guide the work of primary school admissions within their management authority; implement universal education, compulsory education, eradication of illiteracy, and construction of a learning society on their territory; direct, guide, and supervise schools under their management to carry out educational quality assessment work, build national standard schools, and implement improvement plans to continuously maintain and enhance educational quality in accordance with regulations; receive educational quality assessment files from schools under their management for preliminary review before submitting to the Department of Education and Training; advise the competent authority on policies to support community learning centers to operate effectively, contributing to achieving local economic, cultural, and social development goals;

d) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to organize the management of preschool education institutions; elementary schools, lower secondary schools, general education schools with multiple levels including the highest level being lower secondary, and community learning centers within their management area;

đ) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to fulfill the responsibility of reporting on educational activities, educational quality, teacher and student management, and implementation of educational development policies within their management authority before the People's Council at the commune level, the People's Committee at the provincial level, the Department of Education and Training, and the entire society;

e) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to coordinate with the Department of Education and Training and relevant agencies to manage the implementation of regulations on additional teaching and learning within their jurisdiction;

9. Advise and submit to the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level for decision within their authority or propose to the competent authority for decision regarding regular salary increments, early salary increments, and implementation of wage, allowance, and bonus policies for civil servants and contractual workers in educational institutions under their management in accordance with laws and regulations of the People's Committee at the provincial level;

10. Inspection in the field of education

a) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to organize inspections of compliance with laws by educational institutions under their administrative management;

b) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to handle complaints, accusations, and violations in the field of education by educational institutions within their management authority in accordance with laws;

c) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to organize inspections of conditions ensuring educational quality by educational institutions within their management authority;

d) Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to organize inspections and supervision of the implementation of teacher and educational institution management staff, civil servant, and worker management work at educational institutions under their management;

11. Advise and submit to the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level for decision or submit to the competent authority for decision regarding commendation of organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of education in their area;

12. Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to organize the implementation of updating information and data into the education sector database system, universal education management information system, ensuring completeness, accuracy, timeliness, and connectivity with related systems; perform statistical, periodic, and ad hoc reporting, and publicize information in the field of education under their management according to the guidelines of the Department of Education and Training;

13. Advise and assist the People's Committee at the commune level to organize the implementation of tasks for administrative reform, information technology application, digital transformation, and development of a digital government in the field of education; measures to ensure information security, cyber security, and protection of personal data for information technology systems and educational databases in their area in accordance with laws;

14. Organize the implementation of public services in the field of education within their administrative management scope in accordance with laws;

15. Perform other tasks and powers within the scope of their defined authority, decentralization, delegation, and authorization in accordance with laws and other regulations of the competent authority;

Chapter IV
IMPLEMENTATION

Article 7. Implementation Provisions

1. This Circular takes effect from July 24, 2025.

2. This Circular replaces Circular No. 12/2020/TT-BGDĐT dated May 22, 2020, issued by the Minister of Education and Training guiding the functions, tasks, and authorities of the Department of Education and Training under the People's Committee of provinces and centrally-run cities, and the Educational Services Office under the People's Committee of districts, urban districts, towns, and districts within centrally-run cities.

3. Amend and supplement certain phrases in Circular No. 09/2025/TT-BGDĐT dated June 12, 2025, issued by the Minister of Education and Training, regarding the delegation, decentralization, and determination of authorities for local administrative bodies at two levels to perform state management tasks in preschool education as follows:

a) Add the phrases "People's Committee at the district level," "Educational Services Office assisting the People's Committee at the district level" after the phrase "Chairman of the People's Committee at the district level," and amend the phrase "Director of the Department of Education and Training" to "Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level" in Clause 2, Article 5;

b) Remove the phrases "People's Committee at the district level," "Clause 1, Article 6" in Clause 1, and the phrase "Clause 1" in Clause 2, Article 5.

Article 8. Transitional Provisions

For the content on transferring functions and tasks among related agencies concerning administrative procedures, it shall be implemented according to the following principles:

1. In cases where organizations or individuals have submitted applications before this Circular takes effect, they shall continue to follow the legal provisions applicable at the time of submission.

2. Documents and papers issued and granted by competent authorities before this Circular takes effect, which have not yet expired or reached their validity period, shall continue to be applied and used in accordance with the law until their expiration date or until they are amended, supplemented, replaced, abolished, revoked, or recalled by the authority receiving the transferred functions, tasks, and authorities or by the competent authority.

Article 9. Responsibility for implementation

The Head of the Office, the Director of the Cadre and Civil Service Department, the Heads of relevant units under the Ministry of Education and Training; the Chairmen of the People's Committees at the provincial level; the Directors of the Departments of Education and Training; the Chairmen of the People's Committees at the commune level; related agencies, organizations, and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular.