Directive No. 422-TTg on Strengthening Foreign Language Training for State Management Officials and Civil Servants

 DIRECTIVE

ON STRENGTHENING FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING FOR MANAGEMENT STAFF AND CIVIL SERVANTS

OF THE STATE

In light of the situation where the country is expanding international relations, it is imperative that every management staff member and civil servant of the State must access advanced science and technology worldwide, absorb modern economic management experiences, be proficient with market mechanisms and various international relations. In the coming years, interactions with countries, international organizations, and contacts with foreign individuals will become increasingly necessary and widespread. The urgent requirement is that all levels of staff must know foreign languages to directly transact and work with foreigners and to have the conditions to continue learning and researching.

Based on the above situation, the Prime Minister instructs Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies under the Government, provinces, centrally governed cities to implement training and enhancement programs for foreign languages (mainly English) for their management staff and civil servants within their jurisdiction, including specific tasks as follows:

1- To encourage policies and make it a responsibility for all management staff and civil servants of the State, especially mid-to-senior level managers and young staff under 45 years old at Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies under the Government, provinces, centrally governed cities, to study foreign languages to further improve their current level, striving to be able to use foreign languages (mainly English) for self-transactions and research in their professional fields by the end of 1997.

2- For staff below the Deputy Minister level under 45 years old working in agencies with foreign affairs functions and foreign economic activities, being able to use at least one common foreign language (mainly English) is a mandatory requirement, considered a standard and condition for promotion, salary grade increase, and dispatch abroad.

3- Ministries, sectors, localities shall develop plans, list each type of management staff and their current foreign language proficiency levels, report to the Government's Organization and Cadre Management Board for consolidation, coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training to open specialized training and enhancement classes for management staff, create favorable conditions and motivate their staff to learn foreign languages through various forms.

Management staff and civil servants of the State may use a reasonable portion of administrative hours to study foreign languages. Some senior staff in sectors related to international transactions need to be intensively trained in foreign languages.

The Government's Organization and Cadre Management Board is responsible for consolidating the training and enhancement plans for foreign languages for management staff and civil servants of the State from Ministries, sectors, and localities; monitor the implementation of these plans, allocate quotas, and recruit mid-to-senior level staff for foreign language studies. Other categories are delegated and guided by Ministries, sectors, and localities to organize implementation.

The Ministry of Education and Training is responsible for ensuring teaching staff, curriculum content, textbooks, and actively supporting foreign language training and enhancement institutions of central and local sectors. Immediate establishment of some training and enhancement centers for mid-to-senior level staff to study intensively, each course lasting from 4 to 6 months. Actively prepare to open the first intensive courses by the end of 1994.

Funding for this activity comes from the annual budget allocated for training, retraining, and enhancing management staff and civil servants of the State. The State Planning Commission and the Ministry of Finance are responsible for balancing and allocating funds for this cause.

The Ministry of Education and Training shall immediately develop a plan to enhance the quality of foreign language teaching in universities and colleges, develop a proposal to incorporate foreign language teaching into compulsory education programs of secondary schools, and urgently organize the training and enhancement of foreign language teachers.

Encourage foreign projects in Vietnam to support foreign language training programs for management staff and civil servants of the State. Seek assistance and support from foreign governments, companies, individuals, and international organizations with projects and programs aimed at enhancing the foreign language proficiency of Vietnamese management staff and civil servants.

The Minister of the Government's Organization and Cadre Management Board and the Minister of Education and Training shall guide and inspect Ministries, sectors, and localities in implementing this Directive, summarizing the situation every six months to report to the Prime Minister for timely guidance.

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, agencies under the Government, Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces, centrally governed cities are responsible for implementing this Directive./.