Vietnam set to pilot AI education across grades 1 to 12

Why AI is entering Vietnamese classrooms now

Vietnam will begin piloting artificial intelligence education across grades 1 through 12 in December 2025. The Ministry of Education and Training is tying the move to a broader digital transformation drive that aims to build digital literacy and modern skills at scale. Resolution 71 issued by the Politburo sets a direction for stronger adoption of digital technology and AI in education management across the country. The school pilot is a central part of that agenda.

AI is already present in daily life, from translation and image recognition to recommendation systems. Introducing students to the ideas behind these tools, and to safe and responsible use, can raise confidence and help them learn more effectively. Early exposure does not mean pushing advanced coding on first graders. It means age appropriate activities that relate to what children already do in class, while building awareness of privacy, fairness and the role of humans in guiding technology.

What the pilot covers and when it begins

The pilot will run from December 2025 to May 2026 at selected schools. It will cover the entire general education pathway, from primary to upper secondary. After the pilot, the ministry plans a review in June 2026 to refine the framework and prepare recommendations for wider rollout in future school years. Schools will integrate AI learning into existing subjects, projects, and clubs, rather than adding a separate heavy subject. The ministry states that new content should align with current learning outcomes and should not overload the timetable.

Timeline and scope

• December 2025 to May 2026: pilot in selected schools
• Grades 1 through 12 take part across two stages, basic education and career orientation
• June 2026: review and refinement of the framework for future expansion
• Integration into computer science and STEM, elective topics, projects, and extracurricular clubs

What students will learn at each level

The framework is built on four strands that run through all grades. These are human centered thinking, AI ethics, AI techniques and applications, and AI system design. The strands are designed to help children see AI as a set of tools created and guided by people, with benefits and limits. They also help students practice core skills such as data literacy, problem solving, and teamwork.

Age appropriate learning goals

At the primary level, children will meet AI through simple examples such as image and voice recognition. They learn that AI is created by humans, and that personal data should be protected. In lower secondary (grades 6 to 9), students begin to work with the ideas of data and algorithms. They try AI tools to support assignments and learn to spot risks, errors and bias. In upper secondary, students move to designing simple AI systems, from rule based models to basic machine learning projects. They practice advanced problem solving and start to map possible careers in technology and related fields.

• Primary and lower secondary form the basic education stage
• Upper secondary forms the career orientation stage

How schools will integrate AI without adding pressure

Schools are encouraged to connect AI content to existing goals. A science teacher might use a visual AI tool to classify images as part of a biology lab. A math teacher might explore pattern recognition by comparing human strategy with a simple model. A literature teacher might use speech to text to support oral presentations and feedback. Project based learning and themed weeks can bring subjects together around real problems, such as building a simple traffic sign detector or creating a class policy on privacy.

The ministry advises localities to make the most of current resources and to avoid scattered investment. That means using existing labs and devices where possible, adopting open learning materials, and working with partners to provide training and practical activities. The approach favors flexibility, so each school can choose methods that fit its context, from integrating topics into lessons to forming AI clubs and community workshops. The clear intent is to support learning, not to add new pressure on students or teachers.

What teachers and school leaders can expect

Teachers will be central to the pilot. The ministry plans to train core teaching teams and to test AI tools that can support lesson planning, classroom management, and new forms of assessment. Many educators already face questions about how to handle generative AI in student work. A practical path is to design assignments that reward original thinking while allowing guided use of AI with clear disclosure.

Assessment and academic integrity

Vietnamese higher education has tested structured approaches for using generative AI in assessment. One model uses levels that range from no AI to full AI use, with tasks designed to keep the human in the loop. While that research sits in universities, the principles carry over to schools. Teachers can set tasks that require personal voice, data collection in the real world, or oral defense. They can permit AI for brainstorming or formatting, but require students to explain what they used and why. Simple rubrics that include a disclosure step can reduce misconduct while building digital judgment.

Ethics, safety and student data protection

AI brings benefits along with risks. Students and teachers need to understand privacy, consent, and bias. Personal data includes names, photos, voice recordings, test scores, and location. When a student uses an AI tutor, the system may record interactions and performance data. Schools should choose tools with clear data policies, avoid collecting sensitive data unless there is a sound reason, and prefer options that allow local control of information.

Bias can appear when a model gives different results for different groups or repeats stereotypes. Lessons on bias help students ask who built a model, what data it was trained on, and where it might fail. A school digital code of conduct can set simple rules for disclosure, citation, and respectful use. Teacher oversight remains vital. The ministry also plans to test AI in school management, which will require careful safeguards so that automation supports, rather than replaces, human judgment.

Equity and inclusion from city to countryside

Access is a core concern. Vietnam aims to make AI learning available to all students, including those in rural and mountainous areas. Recent projects involving Vietnamese and UK researchers have worked with schools across regions to co develop teaching practices for AI tools. The focus is on teacher capacity, gender inclusion, and practical resources that match different local conditions. This aligns with the pilot guidelines that encourage flexible models and the use of existing facilities.

Bridging gaps with practical steps

Schools can rotate devices, schedule lab time fairly, and use content that works offline. Local telecom partners can help with low cost connectivity plans for education platforms. Vietnamese technology companies can support with free tiers for schools and teacher training. Materials should be in Vietnamese, with options to support ethnic minority languages. These steps keep the pilot inclusive, so schools in both cities and smaller towns can take part with confidence.

What Vietnam can learn from abroad

Other countries offer useful reference points. China integrates AI content into existing subjects, builds national platforms, and coordinates policy from the center. The United States uses a decentralized approach that relies on state and district choices and strong participation from private companies. Vietnam can take pieces that fit its context. Integrating AI into current subjects keeps the program manageable. A national competency framework can define what students should know at each level. Public private partnerships can bring hardware, platforms, and teacher training, while the state sets standards for safety and quality.

Early lessons from Ho Chi Minh City pilots

Local pilots already show how AI can support schools. Ho Chi Minh City has used online enrollment across districts, with chat systems that answer parent questions and provide guidance. The city uses a map based system to help families find nearby schools and to support planning. The education department is also testing two AI solutions. One analyzes how students interact with learning content and suggests materials and schedules tailored to each learner. The other analyzes historical data to identify topics that students find difficult, so teachers can plan targeted lessons. These efforts point to practical ways AI can improve services and instruction at scale.

How progress will be tracked through 2026

The ministry plans to review pilot results after May 2026. Success will rest on evidence. Useful measures include student skills by grade band, teacher confidence and training completion, the share of schools that can deliver activities with available devices, and the number of lessons that integrate AI without reducing time for core subjects. Schools can collect sample student work, run short surveys, and hold focus groups. Data should be anonymized and handled with care.

What families can do now

Parents can support by talking with children about privacy and fairness, asking them to explain how an AI tool made a suggestion, and encouraging independent thinking. Simple activities help. A child can compare the output of two tools, or check an AI summary against an original text. Families can learn the school rules on disclosure and help students follow them. These habits make the pilot safer and more effective.

What to Know

• The pilot begins in December 2025 and runs to May 2026 in selected schools
• Grades 1 through 12 will take part with age appropriate content tailored to each stage
• Four strands guide learning: human centered thinking, ethics, applications, and system design
• AI is integrated into existing lessons, projects, and clubs to avoid overloading the curriculum
• Teachers will receive training and may use AI for planning, management, and assessment
• Results will be reviewed in June 2026 to guide future expansion
• Privacy, bias, and digital ethics are part of the curriculum and school rules
• Inclusive access is a priority so both urban and rural schools can participate