Decision No. 29/2017/QĐ-TTg stipulates the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the General Department of Vocational Education under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Pursuant to …;

Regulations on functions, tasks, powers
and organizational structure of the General Department of Vocational Education and Training
under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs

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Pursuant to the Law on Government Organization dated June 19, 2015;

Based on Decree No. 15/2019/NĐ-CP dated February 1, 2019 of the Government detailing certain provisions and implementation measures of the Vocational Education Law;

Pursuant to Decree No. 123/2016/NĐ-CP dated September 1, 2016 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of ministries and ministerial-level agencies;

Pursuant to Decree No. 14/2017/NĐ-CP dated February 17, 2017, of the Government, stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs;

Decree No. 07/2021/NĐ-CP

The Prime Minister issues this Decision to stipulate the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the General Department of Vocational Education and Training under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

Article 1. Position and Functions

1. The General Department of Vocational Education and Training is an organization under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, performing the function of advising and assisting the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in state management and enforcement of laws on vocational education (excluding teacher training) throughout the country; managing and implementing public services on vocational education within its jurisdiction as prescribed by law.

2. The General Department of Vocational Education and Training has legal personality, a seal with the National Emblem, a separate account at the State Treasury, and its headquarters in Hanoi city.

b) Draft five-year and annual socio-economic development plans for the province; major economic and social balances for the province; draft five-year and annual plans, programs, projects, measures to organize and implement tasks related to socio-economic development, finance-budget, planning-investment, and other tasks within the scope of state management of the Department of Finance as prescribed by law;

1. Submit to the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs for issuance within his/her authority or submit to competent state agencies:

a) Draft laws, draft resolutions of the National Assembly; draft ordinances, draft resolutions of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly; draft resolutions, decrees of the Government; draft decisions of the Government; draft circulars, decisions of the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs;

b) Strategies, plans, five-year and annual plans on vocational education; national technical standards, economic-technical norms in the field of vocational education; national occupational skill standards.

2. Assist the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in directing, guiding, and organizing the implementation of normative legal documents, policies, strategies, plans, national target programs, programs, and projects in the field of vocational education.

3. Issue guidelines on professional matters related to vocational education within the scope of state management of the General Department.

4. Manage levels of vocational education within the National Qualification Framework; implement referencing of vocational education levels with the ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework and other national qualification frameworks.

5. Regarding regular training:

a) Manage the list of majors and occupations for associate degree, intermediate level, and heavy and hazardous occupations; occupations that are difficult to recruit but are in social demand; occupations permitted to cooperate and invest with foreign countries in the field of vocational education and occupations that enterprises must employ trained workers in;

b) Establish minimum knowledge volumes for each level of training and each major and occupation, requirements for competencies that students must achieve upon graduation for each level of vocational education training;

c) Guide the implementation of procedures for developing, reviewing, and issuing training programs for primary, intermediate, and associate degree levels;

d) Monitor the implementation of training programs according to academic years, modular or credit accumulation methods;

đ) Guide vocational education institutions in compiling, selecting, reviewing, approving, and using training programs and textbooks; applying foreign training programs; determining enrollment quotas and regulations for admission, examinations, graduation certification, and awarding certificates and diplomas. Inspect Vietnamese vocational education institutions in issuing foreign certificates; inter-level and joint training programs; establish criteria and standards and organize the implementation of evaluations and recognition of high-quality schools.

6. Regarding continuous training:

a) Guide the development and management of the list of majors and occupations for continuous training;

b) Guide the implementation of continuous training programs based on learners' needs; programs for updating and enhancing knowledge and skills; apprenticeship, master-apprentice, and internship training programs; technology transfer programs; other training programs lasting less than three months; programs for obtaining associate and intermediate level diplomas and primary level certificates through part-time, distance, self-study with guidance, and training and enhancement of vocational skills; learning and practicing in enterprises;

c) Implement regulations on continuous training, vocational training for rural laborers, and vocational training in enterprises; implement support policies for rural laborers, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, female workers, and other policy beneficiaries as prescribed.

7. Regarding teachers and educational managers in vocational education:

a) Coordinate and develop standards for professional qualifications and job titles for teachers and educational managers at all levels;

b) Develop and implement training programs on professional knowledge, teaching skills, and practical skills for teachers and educational managers within their authority. Manage and organize the training and enhancement of teachers and educational managers, instructors of continuous training programs;

c) Guide the recruitment of vocational education staff; implement salary systems, policies, and professional standards for teachers and heads of vocational education institutions; implement evaluation regulations for vocational education staff;

d) Coordinate and organize examinations for upgrading job titles of vocational education staff within their authority;

đ) Guide the organization of teaching contests for teachers at all levels; organize national teaching contests for vocational education teachers.

8. Regarding student affairs:

a) Guide the implementation of regulations on student affairs; prevention of criminal activities and social evils and the creation of a healthy educational environment in vocational education institutions; ideological, moral, lifestyle, cultural, and aesthetic education for students; physical education, health care, competition, and reward activities in vocational education institutions;

b) Implement student credit policies, scholarships from the state budget; manage tuition fees, policies on exemption and reduction of tuition fees, support for vocational training costs, and other policies for students enrolled in vocational education programs;

c) Manage scientific research activities, career counseling, vocational guidance, and entrepreneurship initiatives for students in vocational education institutions;

d) Guide the implementation of national defense and security education tasks for students in vocational education institutions. Regularly organize national cultural, artistic, and sports competitions for students;

9. Regarding infrastructure and training equipment:

a) Establish economic and technical standards for training in each profession at different levels of education and for key professions at various levels. Develop and guide the implementation of infrastructure standards for vocational education institutions, physical education infrastructure standards, and sports activities in vocational education institutions; minimum training equipment lists for each profession; material and equipment consumption rates during training for each profession at different educational levels;

b) Organize the acceptance and application of infrastructure standards and training equipment lists according to foreign transfer programs;

c) Guide the organization of self-made training equipment contests at all levels; organize the national self-made training equipment contest;

10. Regarding quality assurance in vocational education:

a) Guide the implementation of regulations on quality assurance in vocational education;

b) Manage the implementation of quality assurance in vocational education;

c) Develop and guide the implementation of a quality assurance system in vocational education; self-assessment of quality by vocational education institutions;

d) Organize professional training and development for quality assurance officers; manage and coordinate the quality assurance officer team in vocational education;

đ) Accept applications and guide the establishment, organization, and operation of quality assurance centers in vocational education; recognize foreign organizations authorized to assess the quality of foreign training programs in Vietnam;

e) Organize the construction of a national quality assurance framework for vocational education referencing ASEAN and global standards;

11. Regarding skill certification:

a) Manage the national skill level framework and the national skill standard system, mutual recognition of skills between countries;

b) Guide the development of national skill standards for each profession and each level of skill; lead the review of national skill standards; update national skill standards; guide the use of national skill standards and apply ASEAN and global skill standards in Vietnam;

c) Organize the compilation of national skill tests; develop lists of facilities and equipment for national skill assessments for each profession; establish and manage a national skill test bank;

d) Organize professional training and development for skill assessors and experts in developing and reviewing national skill standards and tests; implement the issuance and revocation of national skill assessor cards and manage and coordinate the skill assessor team;

đ) Develop plans and direct the implementation of national skill assessment and certification; issue national skill certificates and manage the issuance and revocation of certificates for skill assessment and certification activities;

e) Establish and manage a database system for national skill assessment and certification;

g) Manage the list of jobs that require national skill certificates due to health and safety concerns for individuals and communities;

12. Guide and implement research, dissemination, transfer, and application of science and technology in vocational education as prescribed;

13. Implement international cooperation in vocational education in accordance with laws and the division of authority by the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs;

14. Implement statistical work, information provision, and database construction for vocational education nationwide;

15. Guide skill competitions at all levels; organize national skill competitions, participate in ASEAN and world skill competitions;

16. Organize the promotion, dissemination, and legal education within the scope of state management of vocational education;

17. Inspect the establishment, division, merger, suspension of operations, dissolution, name change of vocational education institutions; joint ventures and collaborations with foreign countries; registration of vocational education activities; establishment of representative offices of foreign vocational education institutions in Vietnam; establishment of vocational teacher departments in colleges; recognition and non-recognition of private college principals with foreign investment. Implement the establishment of colleges; register vocational education activities and foreign training collaboration activities for colleges and higher education institutions; recognize the boards of directors of private colleges with foreign investment;

18. Regarding inspection, supervision, complaint resolution, and accusation handling:

a) Perform specialized inspection functions in vocational education. Organize inspections, supervision, and handling of violations in vocational education and national skill assessment according to regulations;

b) Resolve complaints and accusations in the field of vocational education within the scope of authority;

19. Manage organizational structure, job positions, civil servant and public service staff quotas, salary systems, and other policies for cadres, civil servants, and public service staff in vocational education under legal provisions and the division of authority by the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

20. Manage finances, assets assigned, and organize the implementation of allocated budgets as prescribed by law.

21. Implement administrative reform in the vocational education sector according to the division of labor assigned by the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

22. Carry out other tasks assigned by the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs and as prescribed by law.

Article 3. Organizational Structure

1. Department of Regular Training.

2. Department of Continuous Training.

3. Department of Teachers.

4. Department of Infrastructure and Equipment.

5. Department of Student and Trainee Affairs.

6. Department of Vocational Skills.

7. Department of Cadre and Civil Service Organization.

8. Department of Planning and Finance.

9. Department of Legal Affairs and Inspection.

10. Office;

11. Quality Assurance Agency for Vocational Education.

12. Institute of Vocational Education Science.

The units specified from Clause 1 to Clause 11 of this Article assist the Director General in performing state management functions; the unit specified in Clause 12 is a public service unit.

The Director General of the Vocational Education Administration shall stipulate the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the units under the Administration.

The Office has four divisions, and the Quality Assurance Agency for Vocational Education has four divisions.

Article 4. Leadership of the General Department

1. The Vocational Education Administration has a Director General and not more than four Deputy Director Generals.

2. The Director General and Deputy Director Generals are appointed, relieved of duty, and dismissed by the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs in accordance with the provisions of law.

3. The Director General is the head of the Vocational Education Administration, accountable to the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs and to the law for all activities of the Vocational Education Administration. Deputy Director Generals are accountable to the Director General and to the law for the areas they are assigned.

Article 5. Effectiveness and Responsibility for Implementation

1. This Decision takes effect from August 21, 2017, and replaces Decision No. 43/2013/QĐ-TTg dated July 16, 2013, of the Prime Minister on the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the Vocational Training Administration under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs.

2. The Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, the Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government-affiliated agencies, Chairpersons of provincial and centrally-run city People's Committees, and the Director General of the Vocational Education Administration are responsible for implementing this Decision./.