In 2023, the literacy rate was at approximately 96.6 percent in Vietnam. Vietnam is among the countries with the highest adult literacy rate in the Asia Pacific.

Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 93.520 % in 2009. This records an increase from the previous number of 90.156 % for 2000. Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 90.156 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2009, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 93.520 % in 2009 and a record low of 83.826 % in 1979. Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Vietnam – Table VN.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in Vietnam was reported at 96 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Vietnam - Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24) in Vietnam was reported at 99 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Vietnam - Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data was reported at 97.395 % in 2009. This records an increase from the previous number of 95.588 % for 2000. Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 95.588 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2009, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 97.395 % in 2009 and a record low of 94.083 % in 1989. Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Youth Male: % of Males Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Vietnam – Table VN.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.

Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data was reported at 96.781 % in 2009. This records an increase from the previous number of 94.056 % for 2000. Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 94.023 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2009, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 96.781 % in 2009 and a record low of 93.402 % in 1989. Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Vietnam – Table VN.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 91.379 % in 2009. This records an increase from the previous number of 86.610 % for 2000. Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 86.610 % from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2009, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 91.379 % in 2009 and a record low of 78.140 % in 1979. Vietnam VN: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Vietnam – Table VN.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female (%) in Vietnam was reported at 80.31 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Vietnam - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, female - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male (%) in Vietnam was reported at 94.49 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Vietnam - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

Vietnam VN: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data was reported at 0.994 Ratio in 2009. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.984 Ratio for 2000. Vietnam VN: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 0.993 Ratio from Dec 1979 (Median) to 2009, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.994 Ratio in 1999 and a record low of 0.978 Ratio in 1979. Vietnam VN: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Vietnam – Table VN.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Gender parity index for youth literacy rate is the ratio of females to males ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

In the school year 2023/24, the pupil-to-teacher ratio in primary education in Vietnam was approximately 23.3 pupils for every teacher available. From 2016 to 2023, the number of pupils per teacher increased yearly, until it decreased slightly in 2024.

According to a survey conducted among Vietnamese consumers in 2023, the majority of respondents said that the time they spent on reading has either greatly or somewhat increased, as stated by 28 percent and 44 percent of respondents respectively. Meanwhile, around two percent of survey respondents reported greatly reducing their reading time.

Abstract

The STEP (Skills Toward Employment and Productivity) Measurement program is the first ever initiative to generate internationally comparable data on skills available in developing countries. The program implements standardized surveys to gather information on the supply and distribution of skills and the demand for skills in labor market of low-income countries.

The uniquely-designed Household Survey includes modules that measure the cognitive skills (reading, writing and numeracy), socio-emotional skills (personality, behavior and preferences) and job-specific skills (subset of transversal skills with direct job relevance) of a representative sample of adults aged 15 to 64 living in urban areas, whether they work or not. The cognitive skills module also incorporates a direct assessment of reading literacy based on the Survey of Adults Skills instruments. Modules also gather information about family, health and language.

Geographic coverage

The survey covers the urban area of two largest cities of Vietnam, Ha Noi and HCMCT.

Analysis unit

The units of analysis are the individual respondents and households. A household roster is undertaken at the start of the survey and the individual respondent is randomly selected among all household members aged 15 to 64 included. The random selection process was designed by the STEP team and compliance with the procedure is carefully monitored during fieldwork.

Universe

The STEP target population is the population aged 15 to 64 included, living in urban areas, as defined by each country's statistical office. In Vietnam, the target population comprised all people from 15-64 years old living in urban areas in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCM).

The reasons for selection of these two cities include :

(i) They are two biggest cities of Vietnam, so they would have all urban characteristics needed for STEP study, and (ii) It is less costly to conduct STEP survey in these to cities, compared to all urban areas of Vietnam, given limitation of survey budget.

• The target population is not representative for the national urban population.

The following are excluded from the sample:

• Residents of institutions (prisons, hospitals, etc)
• Residents of senior homes and hospices
• Residents of other group dwellings such as college dormitories, halfway homes, workers' quarters, etc
• Persons living outside the country at the time of data collection

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

• The sample of 3405 households was selected from 227 urban Enumeration Areas (EAs) in Ha Noi (107 EAs) and Ho Chi Minh City (120 EAs). From each EA 15 households were selected, so the number of households selected in Ha Noi was 1245 HHs, and in HCM, 2160 HHs.
• The 2009 Population and Housing Census was used as a sample frame.
• Regarding PSUs (EAs), the sampling frame is the list of 15% of total EAs of the 2009 Population Census. Data items on the frame for PSU include provincecode, districtcode, commune code, and EA code; address of EA, number of households.
• Regarding ultimate sampling units (households), sampling frame is a list of (100) households in each EA. Data items on the frame for ultimate sampling units (households) include names of heads of households.

The sample frame includes the list of urban EAs and the count of households for each EA. Changes of the EAs list and household list would impact on coverage of sample frame. In a recent review of Ha Noi, there were only 3 EAs either new or destroyed from 140 randomly selected Eas (2%). GSO would increase the coverage of sample frame (>95% as standard) by updating the household list of the selected Eas before selecting households for STEP.

A detailed description of the sample design is available in section 4 of the NSDPR provided with the metadata. On completion of the household listing operation, GSO will deliver to the World Bank a copy of the lists, and an Excel spreadsheet with the total number of households listed in each of the 227 visited PSUs.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The STEP survey instruments include: (i) a Background Questionnaire developed by the WB STEP team (ii) a Reading Literacy Assessment developed by Educational Testing Services (ETS).

All countries adapted and translated both instruments following the STEP Technical Standards: 2 independent translators adapted and translated the Background Questionnaire and Reading Literacy Assessment, while reconciliation was carried out by a third translator. The WB STEP team and ETS collaborated closely with the survey firms during the process and reviewed the adaptation and translation to Vietnamese (using a back translation). - The survey instruments were both piloted as part of the survey pretest. - The adapted Background Questionnaires are provided in English as external resources. The Reading Literacy Assessment is protected by copyright and will not be published.

Cleaning operations

STEP Data Management Process 1. Raw data is sent by the survey firm 2. The WB STEP team runs data checks on the Background Questionnaire data. - ETS runs data checks on the Reading Literacy Assessment data. - Comments and questions are sent back to the survey firm. 3. The survey firm reviews comments and questions. When a data entry error is identified, the survey firm corrects the data. 4. The WB STEP team and ETS check the data files are clean. This might require additional iterations with the survey firm. 5. Once the data has been checked and cleaned, the WB STEP team computes the weights. Weights are computed by the STEP team to ensure consistency across sampling methodologies. 6. ETS scales the Reading Literacy Assessment data. 7. The WB STEP team merges the Background Questionnaire data with the Reading Literacy Assessment data and computes derived variables.

Detailed information data processing in STEP surveys is provided in the 'Guidelines for STEP Data Entry Programs' document provided as an external resource. The template do-file used by the STEP team to check the raw background questionnaire data is provided as an external resource.

Response rate

The response rate for Vietnam (urban) was 62%. (See STEP Methodology Note Table 4).

Sampling error estimates

A weighting documentation was prepared for each participating country and provides some information on sampling errors. All country weighting documentations are provided as an external resource.

96,0 (%) in 2022. Adult (15+) literacy rate (%). Total is the percentage of the population age 15 and above who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life. Generally, ‘literacy’ also encompasses ‘numeracy’, the ability to make simple arithmetic calculations. This indicator is calculated by dividing the number of literates aged 15 years and over by the corresponding age group population and multiplying the result by 100.

For the school year starting in September 2021, there were approximately 12.5 thousand primary schools in Vietnam. In that year, the number of classrooms in primary schools reached 288.5 thousand, and the number of primary school teachers was around 382.5 thousand.

Primary education in Vietnam

Primary education usually starts at the age of six. It lasts for five years and is compulsory for all citizens. Students graduate primary school with accumulated achievements during this period. As primary education is compulsory for everyone, pre-primary and primary schools account for the highest number of schools in the country. In 2022, the pupil to teacher ratio in primary education was 24.1 pupils for every teacher available. In 2020, 78.6 percent of teachers in primary schools were female.

Basic education in Vietnam

The academic year in Vietnam usually starts in September and ends in June. Basic education is comprised of three levels, namely primary school, lower secondary school, and upper secondary school. After 12 years of basic education, students can move on to special education or higher education.

This dataset contains results from a series of workshops and surveys conducted in Hoa Binh, Vietnam, as part of the ACES project. The study, spanning from September 2020 to May 2022, aimed to explore the implementation of a community-centred educational model, focusing on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and educational resilience.

The data collection process involved workshops that connected researchers with various stakeholders. These included teachers, officers from the local Department of Education and Training, student teachers at Hoa Binh College of Education, and entrepreneurs/community actors. The workshops facilitated discussions on project access, research permissions, and methodologies for subsequent surveys and interviews related to SDGs and resilience.

The study progressed with workshops addressing playfulness, frugal education, and the development of social resilience. Data collection methods included surveys and interviews conducted with teachers, students, and community members. Surveys evaluated teachers' perceptions and readiness for playful and frugal education, while interviews delved into the perspectives of teachers, students, and principals on the design and implementation of a green playground. Noteworthy findings emerged from the capability surveys for students and teachers, shedding light on motivational factors. Additionally, analyses of playful and frugal aspects of designs and activities provided valuable insights into the effectiveness of educational approaches.

The study's motivation lies in fostering educational resilience and sustainability through innovative pedagogical models. The research engages diverse stakeholders, emphasizing collaborative efforts for inclusive, safe, and resilient educational practices. The article concludes with reflections on the project's impact and recommendations for future endeavours in advancing community-driven educational initiatives.

ACES will investigate and establish a transformative educational model for bridging formal and informal educational contexts via playful and participatory methodology towards a more inclusive, safe and resilient society that will empower young people to flourish despite their social localities. ACES will investigate the role of education in mobilising young people towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), taking into account the impact of wellbeing (SDG3), gender (SDG5) and poverty (SDG1) on education (SDG4) and vice-versa in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. ACES will focus on building resilient communities of young people in rural areas or deprived sections of urban communities through education. Young people refers to those in primary and secondary education. ACES will engage teachers and local community groups in the co-creation and ownership of the educational process, fostering an empowering and agentic practice when it comes to marginalised contexts - to motivate, ground and, most importantly, localise the intervention. The upskilling of teachers is considered as one of the most effective and direct means of achieving all of the SDG4 targets.

The effects of quality education are linked to improved development outcomes. In all three countries, access to inclusive and equitable quality education is an impending issue; however, the causes, scope and severity vary from one country to another. In Indonesia, the dominance of political, corporate and bureaucratic elites affects the provision of quality education. In Vietnam, its education system struggles to provide access and quality, although since 2008, its government allocates 20% of its national budget to improve education throughout the nation. In Malaysia, access to quality education is still an issue at remote/rural areas in the country. Even though these countries report the literacy rate of over 90%, the efforts to maintain sustainable growth in their respective economies, to reach developed status, hinge on an updated system of education that is more transformative beyond literacy. While economic growth in these countries brings positive benefits and lifts people out of poverty, societies must be equipped to respond to subsequent changes related to political and social systems. Economic resilience thus depends on social resilience, agency and capabilities to respond, design, implement and support corrective and adaptive measures.

ACES will explore the use of playful and participatory methodology towards developing an inclusive, equitable and transformative educational model that will afford opportunities for young people, teachers and community groups to respond to challenges/changes in their community through creative and innovative practices. To navigate an increasingly uncertain and ambiguous world, young people will need to develop curiosity, imagination, creativity, resilience and self-regulation towards innovative economies that are more productive, resilient and adaptable. ACES will emphasise on collaborative,...

Focus group themes.

Solution feasibility and effectiveness.

Vietnam HSS: Literacy: Over Aged 10: Rural data was reported at 92.000 % in 2008. This records a decrease from the previous number of 92.100 % for 2006. Vietnam HSS: Literacy: Over Aged 10: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 91.950 % from Dec 2002 (Median) to 2008, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 92.100 % in 2006 and a record low of 90.900 % in 2002. Vietnam HSS: Literacy: Over Aged 10: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by General Statistics Office. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Vietnam – Table VN.H028: Household Living Standard Survey (HSS): Literacy Over Aged 10.