Policies

VIETNAM: UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION ENHANCEMENT PROJECT

Context

In Vietnam, significant disparities exist in secondary school enrollment and completion rates between advantaged and disadvantaged regions. These gaps are largely due to low-income communities' inability to afford tuition fees, hindering access to education for many students.

Solution

To address these educational inequalities, the Global Partnership for Output-Based Aid (GPOBA) and the World Bank provided grants to support 11 provinces in Vietnam. These grants enabled schools to offer output-based subsidies through reimbursed tuition fees. Over three years, this initiative subsidized the enrollment of 8,145 students, focusing on increasing access to upper secondary education (grades 10–12) in non-public secondary and professional secondary schools.

Impact

The project aimed to reduce persistent inequalities in learning outcomes, attendance, and completion rates by:

• Increasing Access: Enabling poor students to attend upper secondary education by removing financial barriers.
• Improving Attendance: Ensuring that subsidized students remain enrolled and attend school regularly.
• Enhancing Completion Rates: Providing support for disadvantaged students to complete their upper secondary education.

By targeting low-income communities and providing financial assistance, the project worked towards leveling the educational playing field, fostering greater equity and improving overall educational outcomes for disadvantaged students in Vietnam.

Analysis

The program funded by GPOBA and the World Bank effectively addresses key barriers to education in Vietnam through targeted financial interventions. By focusing on output-based subsidies, non-public schools, and multi-year funding, the initiative successfully increases access, attendance, and completion rates for disadvantaged students. These strategies offer a scalable and replicable model that can be adapted to other regions and countries facing similar educational disparities.