CIRCULAR

PROVIDING REGULATIONS ON EDUCATIONAL QUALITY EVALUATION STANDARDS, EDUCATIONAL ACCREDITATION PROCESS AND FREQUENCY FOR GENERAL AND/OR CONTINUING EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Pursuant to the Law on Education dated June 14, 2005, the Law on Amendments to several articles of the Law on Education dated November 25, 2009;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decision No. 36/2012/ND-CP dated April 18, 2012 on defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of Ministries and Ministry-level agencies;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 32/2008/ND-CP dated March 19, 2008 on defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 75/2006/ND-CP dated August 02, 2006 on elaborating and providing guidance on the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Education; the Government's Decree No. 31/2011/ND-CP dated May 11, 2011 on the amendments to the Government's Decree No. 75/2006/ND-CP dated August 02, 2006 on elaborating and providing guidance on the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Education;

Upon the request of the Director of Department of Educational Testing and Accreditation,

The Minister of Education and Training hereby introduces the Circular providing regulations on educational quality evaluation standards, educational accreditation process and frequency for general and/or continuing education institutions, including the following articles:

Article 1. This Circular is enclosed with the Circular providing regulations on educational quality evaluation standards, educational accreditation process and frequency for general and/or continuing education institutions.

Article 2. This Circular shall enter into force from June 1, 2013.

This Circular shall replace the Decision No. 04/2008/QD-BGDDT dated February 4, 2008 of the Ministry of Education and Training providing regulations on educational quality evaluation standards for primary schools; the Decision No. 80/2008/QD-BGDDT dated December 30, 2008 of the Minister of Education and Training providing regulations on educational quality evaluation standards for upper secondary schools; the Circular No. 12/2009/TT-BGDDT dated May 12, 2009 of the Minister of Education and Training providing regulations on educational quality evaluation standards for lower secondary schools; the Decision No. 83/2008/QD-BGDDT dated December 31, 2008 of the Minister of Education and Training providing regulations on educational accreditation process and frequency for general education institutions.

Article 3. The Chief of the Office, the Director of Department of Educational Testing and Accreditation, Heads of relevant units affiliated to the Ministry of Education and Training, Presidents of the People’s Committees of centrally-affiliated cities and provinces, and Directors of Departments of Education and Training, shall be responsible for implementing this Circular./.

REGULATION

EDUCATIONAL QUALITY EVALUATION STANDARDS, EDUCATIONAL ACCREDITATION PROCESS AND FREQUENCY FOR GENERAL AND/OR CONTINUING EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
(Issued together with the Circular No. 42/2012/TT-BGDDT dated November 23, 2012 of the Minister of Education and Training)

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope and subjects of application

1. This Instrument provides regulations on educational quality evaluation standards, educational accreditation process and frequency for general and/or continuing education institutions, including general provisions; educational quality evaluation standards for primary schools, secondary schools, continuing education centers; educational accreditation process and frequency for education institutions; implementation preparations.

2. This Instrument shall be applied to:

a) Primary schools of all types in the national education system;

b) Lower secondary schools; upper secondary schools; secondary schools with multiple grade levels; district-level ethnic boarding schools; provincial-level ethnic boarding schools; Ministry-affiliated ethnic boarding schools; ethnic semiboarding schools (hereinafter referred to as secondary school) of all types in the national education system;

c) Continuing education centers of a district, rural district, town or province-governed city; continuing education centers of a centrally-affiliated city and province (hereinafter referred to as continuing education center) in the national education system;

d) Organizations or individuals concerned.

Article 2. Definition

For the purpose of this instrument, words and phrases used herein are construed as follows:

1. Educational quality evaluation standard refers to educational quality assurance requirements as to general and/or continuing education institutions. Each standard is composed of educational quality evaluation criteria which are expressed in Arabic numerals.

2. Educational quality evaluation criterion refers to requirements as to general and/or continuing education institutions set out in specific contents of each standard. Each criterion is composed of educational quality evaluation indices which are expressed in the alphabetical letters a, b, c.

3. Educational quality evaluation index refers to requirements as to general and/or continuing education institutions set out in specific contents of each criterion.

4. Accreditation of educational quality in general and/or continuing education institutions refers to any assessment (including self-assessment and external assessment) performed with the aim of identifying the extent to which general and/or continuing education institutions meet educational quality evaluation standards, and any recognition where general and/or continuing education institutions meet educational quality standards set out by regulatory authorities.

5. Self-assessment by general and/or continuing education institutions refers to independent consideration, examination and evaluation conducted by general and/or continuing education institutions in conformance to educational quality evaluation standards adopted and issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.

6. External assessment of general and/or continuing education institutions refers assessments conducted by regulatory authorities to determine the degree to which general and/or continuing education institutions satisfy educational quality evaluation standards.

Article 3. Purposes of educational accreditation of general and/or continuing education institutions

Accreditation of educational quality in general and/or continuing education institutions (hereinafter referred to as education institution) is aimed at enabling education institutions to determine the extent to which they meet educational objectives over time periods, set up the plan to improve educational quality, enhance quality in educational activities; is served as an official notification of quality status of education institutions to state regulatory authorities and social management bodies; serves as the basis for state regulatory authorities’ assessing and recognizing conformity of education institutions with educational quality standards.

Article 4. Principles of educational accreditation of education institutions

1. Independence, objectivity and compliance with laws.

2. Integrity, openness and transparency.

Chapter II

EDUCATIONAL QUALITY EVALUATION STANDARDS OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS, SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND CONTINUING EDUCATION CENTERS

Section 1. STANDARDS FOR EVALUATION OF EDUCATIONAL QUALITY IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Article 5. Standard 1: School organization and management

1. School organizational structure must conform to regulations laid down in the Charter of primary school.

a) Appoint the Principal, Vice Principal, and establish boards (School Board in a public school, Management Board in a private school, emulation and reward board and others);

b) Operate the Vietnamese Communist Party organization, Trade Union, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer organization, Ho Chi Minh’s Children Star and other social organizations;

c) Organize professional departments and administrative and/or clerical departments.

2. Classrooms, number of students and school points must conform to regulations laid down in the Charter of primary school.

a) Classrooms are organized in accordance with laws and regulations;

b) Number of students attending a classroom conforms to laws and regulations;

c) Location of a school or school point conforms to laws and regulations.

3. Organizational structure and implementation of duties of professional or administrative and clerical departments shall adhere to regulations referred to in the Charter of primary school.

a) Establish the organizational structure in accordance with laws and regulations;

b) Set the schedule of activities that will be performed by each department in a calendar week, month, academic semester and school year, and hold meetings or exchanges amongst members of each department in accordance with laws and regulations;

c) Perform tasks assigned each department in accordance with laws and regulations.

4. The school must observe guidelines and policies of the Communist Party, legislation, administration and direction by local Communist Party committees, local governments and education administrators at all levels; ensure compliance with regulations on the exercise of democracy upon performing its relevant activities.

a) Implement directives or resolutions of local Communist Party committees, comply with administrative governance by local governments, professional and occupational directions by education administrators;

b) Prepare periodic and ad-hoc reports in accordance with laws and regulations;

c) Ensure compliance with regulations on the exercise of democracy when performing its relevant activities.

5. Administrative governance, execution of emulative campaigns must adhere to laws and regulations.

a) Maintain an adequate amount of files and records incidental to school activities as referred to in the Charter of primary school;

b) Retain records or documents stipulated by the Law on Archives in a sufficient and logical manner;

c) Conduct mobilizations, organize and keep on emulative campaigns under the sectoral and Governmental guidelines.

6. Management of educational activities, officers, teachers, staff, students, financial and land assets and facilities must be carried out in accordance with laws and regulations.

a) Perform the task of managing educational activities and students in accordance with regulations enshrined in the Charter of primary school;

b) Recruit, employ, recommend, appoint and manage officers, teachers and staff in accordance with the Law on officers and public officials, the Law on public employees, the Charter of primary school and other legislative regulations;

c) Effectively manage and utilize financing, land and facilities used for performing educational activities.

7. The school must ensure public security and safety for students, officers, teachers and employees; prevent and control school violence, epidemics or diseases, natural calamities, social evils in a school.

a) Devise the plan to protect social security and order, prevent and mitigate accidents, injuries, fires, explosions, natural disasters, epidemic diseases, food poisoning, social evils in a school;

b) Ensure safety for school students, officers, teachers and staff;

c) Prohibit any act of sexual discrimination or infringement, school violence that may occur within a school.

Article 6. Standard 2: School compliance officers, teachers, staff members and students

1. Competency requirements of the principal and vice principal for design and implementation of educational activities.

a) The principal must acquire at least 4 years’ experience and the vice principal must acquire 2 years’ experience (probationary period excluded);

b) Obtain annual assessment result where (s)he is rated at least good according to the regulation on qualification requirements of primary school principal;

c) Have experienced training and mentoring programs related to politics and educational administration in accordance with laws and regulations.

2. The number of, and qualification levels completed by, teachers stipulated by the Charter of primary school.

a) The number and composition of teachers required for compulsory subjects must conform to laws and regulations;

b) Teachers of different academic subjects, such as physical exercise, music, fine arts, foreign language, and a teacher appointed as the leader of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer organization, must comply with applicable laws and regulations;

c) 100% of teachers must meet minimum qualification requirements, including more than 20% of them working in mountainous, remote and isolated areas or islands, and more than 40% of them working in other regions, meeting higher qualification requirements.

3. The outcome of teacher assessment and ranking, and respect for and observance of teacher’s rights

a) 100% of teachers are ranked good or higher as expressed in the school year-end assessment result, including at least 50% of them ranked at least fairly good, in accordance with the regulation on professional qualification of primary school teachers;

b) At least 5% of teachers are awarded the excellent performance title at the level of a rural district (urban district, town and province-governed city) or at other higher levels;

c) Teacher’s rights must be respected and observed in accordance with regulations laid down in the Charter of primary school.

4. The number and quality of, and full access to, benefits and policies provided for school staff members and employees.

a) The required number of school employees and staff members must conform to applicable laws and regulations;

b) Accounting, documentation, health staff, and employees performing library works and administering teaching equipment, must obtain at least profession-specific associate degrees; other employees must complete professional training courses specific to their work positions;

c) School employees must satisfactorily fulfill their assigned duties and have full access to stipulated benefits and policies.

5. School students required to meet requirements set out in the Charter of primary school and laws.

a) Comply with school age regulations;

b) Duly perform student’s duties and comply with regulations on student’s behavioral standards;

c) Have full access to regulated rights.

Article 7. Standard 3: School premises and facilities

1. School campus, gate, nameboard, wall or protective fence, playground, and physical training court, must conform to regulations laid down in the Charter of primary school.

a) Area of school campus, and green, clean, scenic and airy standards thereof, must conform to applicable regulations;

b) School gate, nameboard, wall or perimeter fence must be built in accordance with applicable laws and regulations;

c) Playground or physical training court or yard must conform to applicable regulations.

2. Classrooms, writing boards, desks, chairs and tables provided to teachers and students.

a) The number, specification, quality of, and equipment installed in, classrooms must comply with regulations of the Charter of primary school;

b) Dimensional size, materials using for manufacturing, configuration, design, and color of, school chairs and tables must conform to regulations enacted by the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health;

c) Dimensional size, color and installation of writing boards in classrooms must conform to regulations on school sanitation adopted by the Ministry of Health.

3. Block of office rooms, office stationery, and supplies used for administration, teaching and learning activities required to conform to regulations of the Charter of primary school.

a) Block of office rooms used for learning and administrative and/or clerical purposes, and facilities for rest and to eat meals (if any), must conform to applicable regulations;

b) Medical equipment and cabinets for safe storage of essential medicines must be provided in accordance with laws and regulations;

c) Office equipment (computers and printers) used for administrative or clerical and teaching activities, and computers with internet connection used for educational activities, must meet statutory requirements.

4. Sanitation, vehicle parking, clean water, water drainage and garbage collection utilities and systems must be suitable for educational activities.

a) The school must have separate toilet facilities for school officers, teachers, employees and students, and for males and females which are also suitable for the disabled (where applicable), and are built at appropriate sites to fit into the school landscape, and are safe, convenient and clean;

b) Parking facilities must be provided for school officers, teachers, employees and students;

c) Clean water supply must be adequate to meet demands of school officers, teachers, employees and students; water drainage and waste collection system must meet regulatory requirements.

5. School libraries must meet research and study demands of school officers, teachers, employees and students.

a) Libraries must conform to standards for libraries in general education in accordance with regulations enacted by the Ministry of Education and Training;

b) Library operations must meet research and teaching demands of school officers, teachers, employees and students;

c) Collection of reference books, newspapers, magazines and materials must be complemented on an annual basis.

6. Teaching equipment, tools and efficient utilization of teaching equipment and tools.

a) Necessary equipment used for teaching and learning purposes must conform to regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training;

b) Use of teaching equipment during class hours and creation of several teaching articles by teachers must conform to regulations adopted by the Ministry of Education and Training;

c) Enumeration, repair, upgradation and supplementation of teaching tools and equipment items must be carried out on an annual basis.

Article 8. Standard 4: Relationship between schools, families and society

1. Organization and operation of the representative board of student’s parents

a) The representative board of student’s parents must have the organizational structure, duties, rights, responsibilities and operations in accordance with its Statutes;

b) The school must facilitate operations of the Board;

c) Regular and irregular meetings between the school, student’s parents and the Board must be convened to get opinions on the school's management, educational methodologies, and answer any question raised by parents as well as give any advice on operations of the Board.

2. The school must proactively counsel Communist Party committees, competent authorities, and closely work with local unions or associations, to mobilize necessary resources for the purpose of developing the school and improving better educational environment.

a) Proactively advise Communist Party committees, local governments on the detailed plan and methods for development of the school;

b) Cooperate with local organizations, associations and individuals in generating safe and healthy educational environment;

c) Mobilize and use, in an effective manner, voluntary resources or those regulated by organizations or individuals to construct facilities; increase teaching equipment and tools; grant awards to students who achieve good learning results and other students with excellent performance, and provide support to underprivileged and disabled students.

3. The school shall cooperate with local institutional entities, and stimulate community involvements in educating students on traditional historical and cultural values, and accomplishing educational objectives and plans.

a) Effectively cooperate with organizations and institutions in educating students on traditional cultural and historical values;

b) Take care of historical, revolutionary and cultural structures; look after families of wounded soldiers, martyrs, those awarded meritorious service recognitions, and Vietnamese heroic mothers living within the remit of the school;

c) Improve people’s knowledge about contents, methodologies and types of assessment of primary school students, and facilitate people's involvement in implementing educational objectives and plans.

Article 9. Standard 5: Educational activities and results

1. The school must implement educational programs, teaching plans of the Ministry of Education and Training, and professional regulations of local educational administrators.

a) Prepare the schedule of activities to be performed in every school year, semester, month and week;

b) Comply with predetermined subjects, program and schedule, standard knowledge requirements, skills, and choose teaching contents, duration, methodology and form suitable for specific students, and correspond to cognitive ability and sustainable development requirements under actual conditions of each locality where the school is located;

c) Provide students obtaining excellent and poor learning results respectively with more advanced or supplementary education.

2. Extracurricular activities of the school include the followings:

a) Have the annual extracurricular activity plan and schedule;

b) Organize extracurricular activities according to the specified plan which take various forms and are suitable for students at specific ages;

c) Assign and encourage school teachers and employees to get involved in extracurricular activities.

3. The school must get involved in implementing objectives of universalizing primary education for students at appropriate school age within the remit of the school.

a) Take part in implementing primary education universalization objectives for students at appropriate school age, and prevent recurring illiteracy in locality where the school is located;

b) Organize and launch the event “Day for taking children to school”, encourage children at school age to go to school;

c) Provide support to extremely disadvantaged and disabled children to encourage them to go to school.

4. Expected educational assessment results achieved by students must meet overall educational objectives

a) At least 90% of students in mountainous, remote and isolated areas or islands, and at least 95% of students in other regions, must be ranked at least satisfactory in their learning outcomes;

b) At least 30% of students in mountainous, remote and isolated areas or islands, and at least 40% of students in other regions, must be ranked at least fairly good in their learning outcomes;

c) At least 10% of students in mountainous, remote and isolated areas or islands, and at least 15% of students in other regions, must be ranked at least good in their learning outcomes.

5. Health care and education, environmental protection awareness education activities must be organized

a) Employ proper methods to educate students to be aware of taking care of their own health;

b) Organize regular health examinations and vaccinations for students in accordance with laws and regulations;

c) Encourage students to enthusiastically participate in environmental protection activities.

6. Outcomes of educational activities performed by the school

a) At least 90% of students in mountainous, remote and isolated areas or islands, and at least 95% of students in other regions, must be qualified for higher grades or complete the primary education program;

a) At least 35% of students in mountainous, remote and isolated areas or islands, and at least 50% of students in other regions, must be recognized as students ranked good or progressing in their assessment results;

c) Have students eligible for participating in contests or gatherings held at the level of a rural district (urban district, town or province-governed city) or higher.

7. Life skill education and training, and facilitation of student's active, enthusiastic and creative participation in the educational process.

a) Provide life skill education and training programs which are suitable for students at relevant school age;

b) Offer students opportunities to participate in learning activities in an enthusiastic, proactive and creative manner;

c) Encourage students to collect and create learning aids on their own, and offer mutual supports amongst students during the learning process.

Section 2. STANDARDS FOR EVALUATION OF EDUCATIONAL QUALITY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Article 10. Standard 1: Organization and management of a school

1. Organizational structure of a school must conform to regulations laid down in the Charter of lower and upper secondary school, and general education institutions with multiple grade levels (hereinafter referred to as the Charter of secondary school), and regulations adopted by the Ministry of Education and Training.

a) Appoint the Principal, Vice Principal, and establish boards (School Board in a public school, Management Board in a private school, emulation and reward board and other advisory boards);

b) Operate the Vietnamese Communist Party organization, Trade Union, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer organization, Ho Chi Minh’s Children Star and other social organizations;

c) Organize professional departments, and administrative and/or clerical departments (educational affair and student administration department, life activity administration department and other departments with respect to special schools).

2. Classrooms, number of students and school points must conform to regulations laid down in the Charter of primary school (if the school provides primary education) and the Charter of secondary school.

a) Classrooms are organized in accordance with laws and regulations;

b) Number of students attending a classroom conforms to laws and regulations;

c) Location of a school conforms to laws and regulations.

3. Operation of the Vietnamese Communist Party organization, Trade Union, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer organization, and other social organizations as well as relevant boards shall conform to the Charter of secondary school and legislative regulations.

a) Their operations must observe laws;

b) Play a role as a leader of, or counsel the principal to implement, duties under their responsibilities and powers;

c) Review and assess performance after every academic semester.

4. Organizational structure and implementation of duties assigned professional departments and administrative and/or clerical departments (educational affair and student administration department, life activity administration department and other departments with respect to special schools) must conform to regulations enshrined in the Charter of secondary school.

a) Establish the organizational structure in accordance with laws and regulations;

b) Set the schedule of activities that will be performed by each department in a calendar week, month, academic semester and school year, and hold meetings of each department's members in accordance with laws and regulations;

c) Perform tasks assigned each department in accordance with laws and regulations.

5. Design the strategy for the school’s development

a) The strategy must be prepared in writing, approved by the administrator at the higher level, publicly released in a notice posted in the school or broadcast by local means of mass media, on the website of the department or division of education and training, or the school’s website (if any);

b) The strategy must correspond to educational objectives of each study level stipulated by the Law on Education, school resources and local socio-economic development proposals;

c) The strategy must, whenever necessary, be reviewed, supplemented and adapted so that it is consistent with local socio-economic development proposal over time periods.

6. The school must observe guidelines and policies of the Communist Party, policies and legislation of the central and local government, administration and direction by education administrators at all levels; ensure compliance with regulations on the exercise of democracy upon performing its relevant activities.

a) Implement directives or resolutions of local Communist Party committees, comply with administrative governance by local governments, professional and occupational directions by education administrators;

b) Prepare periodic and ad-hoc reports in accordance with laws and regulations;

c) Ensure compliance with regulations on the exercise of democracy when performing its relevant activities.

7. Administrative governance and execution of emulative campaigns.

a) Maintain an adequate amount of documents and records incidental to school activities as referred to in the Charter of secondary school;

b) Retain records or documents stipulated by the Law on Archives in a sufficient and logical manner;

c) Conduct mobilization campaigns, organize and keep on emulative campaigns under the sectoral and Governmental guidelines.

8. Management of educational activities, school officers, teachers, employees and students.

a) Perform the task of managing educational activities and students in accordance with regulations enshrined in the Charter of secondary school;

b) Manage extra-class teaching and learning activities in accordance with regulations laid down by the Ministry of Education and Training and competent authorities at all levels;

c) Recruit, employ, recommend, promote, appoint and manage school officers, teachers and staff in accordance with the Law on officers and public officials, the Law on public employees, the Labor Code, the Charter of secondary school and other legislative regulations.

9. Financial and asset management in a school

a) Create a system of regulatory documents on financial and asset management, and keep records and evidence documents in accordance with applicable regulations;

b) Prepare the budget estimate, receive, spend, keep record of, enumerate and make reports on financing and assets in accordance with the Government's regulations;

c) Carry out the financial disclosure and self-inspection in accordance with regulations, and establish internal spending rules and regulations.

10. The school must ensure public security and safety for school students, officers, teachers and employees; prevent and control school violence, epidemics or diseases, natural calamities, social evils in a school.

a) Devise the plan to protect social security and order, prevent and mitigate accidents, injuries, fires, explosions, natural disasters, epidemic diseases, food poisoning, social evils in a school;

b) Ensure safety for school students, officers, teachers and staff;

c) Prohibit any act of sexual discrimination or infringement, school violence that may occur within a school.

Article 11. Standard 2: School managers, teachers, employees and students

1. Competency requirements of the principal and vice principal for design and execution of educational activities.

a) Acquire the number of years of teaching experience (excluding internship period) in accordance with the Charter of secondary school;

b) Obtain annual assessment result where (s)he is rated at least fairly good according to the regulation on qualification requirements of principal in lower and upper secondary school and general education institution with multiple grade levels;

c) Have experienced training and mentoring programs related to politics and educational administration in accordance with laws and regulations.

2. The number and qualification level of school teachers must conform to regulations laid down in the Charter of primary school (if the school provides primary education) and the Charter of secondary school.

a) The number and composition of school teachers required for compulsory subjects must conform to laws and regulations;

b) Teachers undertaking activities of the Communist Youth Union of Ho Chi Minh City, working as the leader of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer organization, and those who act as student consultants, must comply with applicable laws and regulations;

c) They must obtain qualifications which are equal to or greater than minimum qualification standards referred to in laws and regulations:

- In mountainous, remote and isolated areas and islands, 100% of teachers must obtain qualifications which are equal to stipulated minimum standards, including at least 25% of teachers in lower secondary schools, general education institution with multiple grade levels, district-level ethnic boarding schools and ethnic semiboarding schools (hereinafter referred to as lower secondary school), 10% of teachers in upper secondary schools, province-level ethnic boarding schools and general education institutions under the authority of a Ministry or competent sectoral body (hereinafter referred to as upper secondary school), and 30% of teachers in gifted schools, obtaining qualifications which are greater than stipulated minimum standards;

- In other regions, 100% of teachers must obtain qualifications which are equal to stipulated minimum standards, including at least 40% of teachers in lower secondary schools, 15% of teachers in upper secondary schools, and 40% of teachers in gifted schools, obtaining qualifications which are greater than stipulated minimum standards.

3. The outcome of teacher assessment and ranking, and respect for and observance of teacher’s rights

a) Teachers must be ranked average or higher as expressed in the school year-end assessment result, including at least 50% of them ranked at least fairly good, in accordance with the regulation on professional qualification of primary school teachers (if the school provides primary school education), or the regulation on professional qualification of lower or upper secondary school teachers;

b) At least 15% and 10% of teachers in lower secondary schools and upper secondary schools are awarded the excellent performance title at the rural district (urban district, town and province-governed city) level or higher, and at the province (centrally-governed city) level or higher, respectively;

c) Teacher’s rights must be respected and observed in accordance with regulations laid down in the Charter of primary school (if the school provides primary education), the Charter of secondary school and legislative regulations.

4. The number and quality of, and full access to, benefits and policies provided for school staff members and employees.

a) The required number of school employees and staff members must conform to applicable laws and regulations;

b) Accounting, documentation, health staff, and employees performing library works and administering teaching equipment, must obtain at least profession-specific associate degrees; other employees must complete professional training courses specific to their work positions;

c) School employees must satisfactorily fulfill their assigned duties and have full access to stipulated benefits and policies.

5. School students must conform to regulations laid down in the Charter of primary school (if the school provides primary education), the Charter of secondary school and legislative regulations.

a) Comply with school age regulations;

b) Duly perform student’s duties and comply with regulations on pupil’s behavioral standards;

c) Have full access to regulated rights.

Article 12. Standard 3: Teaching premises and equipment.

1. School campus, gate, nameboard, wall or protective fence, playground, and physical training court, must conform to regulations laid down in the Charter of secondary school.

a) Area of school campus, and green, clean, scenic and airy standards thereof, must conform to applicable regulations;

b) School gate, nameboard, wall or perimeter fence must be built in accordance with applicable laws and regulations;

c) Playground or physical training court or yard must conform to applicable regulations.

2. Classrooms, writing boards, desks, chairs and tables provided to teachers and pupils.

a) The number, specification, quality and equipment, writing boards in classrooms must conform to regulations laid down in the Charter of primary school (if the school provides primary education), the Charter of secondary school and legislative regulations on school sanitation introduced by the Ministry of Health;

b) Dimensional size, materials using for manufacturing, configuration, design, and color of, school chairs and tables must conform to regulations enacted by the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health;

c) Classrooms used for subject groups must conform to regulatory standards.

3. Block of office rooms, office stationery, and supplies used for administration, teaching and learning activities are required to conform to regulations of the Charter of secondary school.

a) Block of office rooms used for learning and clerical - administrative purposes, and facilities for rest and to eat meals (if any), must conform to applicable regulations;

b) Medical equipment and cabinets for safe storage of essential medicines must be available in accordance with laws and regulations;

c) Office equipment (computers and printers) used for administrative and teaching activities, and computers with internet connection used for educational activities, must meet statutory requirements.

4. Sanitation, vehicle parking, clean water, water drainage and garbage collection facilities and systems must meet requirements concerning educational activities.

a) The school must have separate toilet facilities for school officers, teachers, employees and pupils, and for males and females which are also suitable for the disabled (where applicable), and are built at appropriate sites to fit into the school landscape, and are safe, convenient and clean;

b) Parking facilities must be provided for school officers, teachers, employees and pupils;

c) Clean water supply must be adequate to meet demands of school officers, teachers, employees and students with the water supply system conforming to regulatory standards; water drainage and waste collection system must meet regulatory requirements.

5. School libraries must meet research and study demands of school officers, teachers, employees and pupils.

a) Libraries must meet standards of libraries of general education institutions in accordance with regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training, and must be supplemented with reference books, newspapers and materials on an annual basis;

b) Library operations must meet research and teaching demands of school officers, teachers, employees and students;

c) Information technology systems with internet connection and the school website must meet teaching, learning and school administration requirements.

6. Teaching equipment, tools and efficient utilization of teaching equipment and tools.

a) Necessary equipment used for teaching and learning purposes must conform to regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training;

b) Use of teaching equipment during class hours and creation of several teaching articles by teachers must conform to regulations adopted by the Ministry of Education and Training;

c) Enumeration, repair, upgradation and supplementation of teaching tools and equipment items must be carried out on an annual basis.

Article 13. Standard 4: Relationship between the school, family and society

1. Organization and operation of the representative board of student’s parents

a) The representative board of student’s parents must have the organizational structure, duties, rights, responsibilities and operations in accordance with its Statutes;

b) The school must facilitate operations of the Board;

c) Regular and irregular meetings between the school, student’s parents and the Board must be convened to get opinions on the school's management, educational methodologies, and answer any question raised by parents as well as give any advice on operations of the Board.

2. The school must proactively counsel Communist Party committees, competent authorities, and closely work with local unions or associations, to mobilize necessary resources for the purpose of developing the school and improving better educational environment.

a) Proactively advise Communist Party committees, local governments on the detailed plan and methods for development of the school;

b) Cooperate with local organizations, associations and individuals in generating safe and healthy educational environment;

c) Mobilize and use, in an effective manner, voluntary resources or those regulated by organizations or individuals to construct infrastructure systems; provide additional teaching equipment and tools; grant awards to students who achieve good learning results and other students with excellent performance, and provide support to underprivileged and disabled students.

3. The school shall cooperate with local institutional entities, and stimulate community involvements in educating students on traditional historical and cultural values, and accomplishing educational objectives and plans.

a) Effectively cooperate with organizations and institutions in educating students on traditional cultural and historical values;

b) Take care of historical, revolutionary and cultural structures; look after families of wounded soldiers, martyrs, those awarded meritorious service recognitions, and Vietnamese heroic mothers living within the scope of the school’s operation;

c) Carry out dissemination of information to improve people’s knowledge about teaching contents, methodologies, and facilitate people's involvement in implementing educational objectives and plans.

Article 14. Standard 5: Educational activities and results

1. The school must implement educational programs, teaching plans of the Ministry of Education and Training, and professional regulations of local education administrators.

a) Prepare the schedule of activities to be performed in every school year, semester, month and week;

b) Adhere to the predetermined time schedule for the academic year, teaching and learning timetable of each subject in accordance with laws and regulations;

c) Review, evaluate compliance with the predetermined time schedule for the academic year, teaching and learning timetable on a monthly basis.

2. The school must reform its teaching methods to foster student’s industriousness, self-motivation, proactivity, creativity, self-improvement, and improve student’s self-study ability.

a) Make appropriate use of textbooks; associate actual situations during the teaching or integrated teaching process; balance theoretical knowledge and thinking skill practice in teaching;

b) Use modern information technology in teaching, reform educational examination, assessment methods, and guide students through self-assessment of their study outcomes;

c) Instruct students to be exhibit their self-motivation, proactivity and creativity in learning and know how to apply their acquired knowledge to real life.

3. The school must implement education universalization duties in the locality where it is located.

a) Devise and implement the education universalization plan according to duties assigned by local authorities and higher-level education administrators;

b) Produce education universalization results which correspond to assigned duties;

c) Inspect and evaluate implementation of education universalization duties on a regular basis to take appropriate actions to improve and enhance effectiveness in implementation thereof.

4. Provide more advanced or supplementary education for students with good or poor learning assessment results respectively according to the school plan and all-level education administrators.

a) Identify and categorize students with good, unsatisfactory or insufficient and fail assessment results, and apply measures to help students to progress from the start of academic year;

b) Find proper ways to provide more advanced or supplementary education for students obtaining good, or unsatisfactory or insufficient assessment results respectively;

c) Review and assess more advanced and supplementary education programs to decide any reform thereof whenever necessary.

5. The school must comply with local educational contents in accordance with regulations enacted by the Ministry of Education and Training.

a) Duly implement local educational activity contents, and play an important part in meeting objectives of specific subjects and applying theory to real life; b) Examine and evaluate local educational activity contents in accordance with applicable regulations;

c) Review, assess and update teaching materials, and propose any necessary adjustment to local education on an annual basis.

6. The school must organize cultural, art performance, sports events in which students are encouraged to actively and discretionarily participate

a) Provide students with knowledge about certain cultural, art performance, sports events, and traditional games;

b) Offer students inside or outside the school opportunities to join several cultural, art performance, sports events, and traditional games;

c) Participate in Phu Dong sports festival, art performance, sports competitions, traditional festive and ceremonial events organized by competent authorities.

7. The school must educate and train its students on life skills through learning, teambuilding and extracurricular activities.

a) Educate students on communications, interpersonal, self-awareness, decision-making, problem-solving, goal-setting, response, emotional control, cooperation, and teamwork skills;

b) Provide students with life skill education and training by means of educating them on awareness of compliance with traffic laws, protection against traffic accidents, drowning and other injury-causing accidents; through implementation of regulations on etiquette, cultural behaviors, and code of conducts such as solidarity, nurturance and mutual support;

c) Provide students with physical and mental health education and consultancy, sex, love, marriage and family education which are suitable for students at specific age.

8. Students must involve themselves in classroom and school environmental sanitation and health issues.

a) Prepare the schedule and list of assignments for students to participate in environmental protection, care and sanitation of the school;

b) Ensure that students fully participate in environmental protection, care and sanitation of the school;

c) Carry out a weekly examination and evaluation of environmental sanitation and protection within the school.

9. Student’s learning ability ranking results must meet educational objectives.

a) Percentage of students ranked at least average is:

- In mountainous, remote and isolated areas and islands, 85% of students at lower secondary schools, 80% of students at upper secondary schools and 95% of students at gifted schools;

- In other regions, 90% of students at lower secondary schools, 85% of students at upper secondary schools and 99% of students at gifted schools;

b) Percentage of students ranked fairly good is:

- In mountainous, remote and isolated areas and islands, at least 25%, 15% and 60% of students at lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools and gifted schools respectively;

- In other regions, at least 30%, 20% and 70% of students at lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools and gifted schools respectively;

c) Percentage of students ranked good is:

- In mountainous, remote and isolated areas and islands, at least 2% of students at lower and upper secondary schools, at least 15% of students at gifted schools;

- In other regions, at least 3% of students at lower and upper secondary schools, at least 20% of students at gifted schools.

10. Student’s behavior grading results must meet educational objectives.

a) In other regions, at least 90% of students at lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools and at least 98% gifted schools are ranked fairly good;

b) Not more than 1% of students at lower and upper secondary schools, and no more than 0.2% of students at gifted school, are subject to fixed term exclusions;

c) None of students are liable to a criminal prosecution.

11. The school must measure outcomes of vocational education and career orientation education provided to students on an annual basis

a) Industries or sectors in the career orientation education program must be relevant to local socio-economic development conditions;

b) Percentage of students participating in vocational education:

- In mountainous, remote and isolated areas and islands, this percentage is at least 70% of students eligible for receiving vocational education at lower secondary schools, and 100% of students at upper secondary schools and gifted schools;

- In other regions, this percentage is at least 80% of students eligible for receiving vocational education at lower secondary schools, and 100% of students at upper secondary schools and gifted schools;

c) Grading outcomes of students participating in vocational education:

- In mountainous, remote and isolated areas and islands, at least 80% of students at lower secondary schools, and at least 90% of students at upper secondary schools and gifted schools, are ranked at least average;

- In other regions, at least 90% of students at lower secondary schools, and at least 95% of students at upper secondary schools and gifted schools, are ranked at least average.

12. Outcomes of educational activities performed by the school

a) Rate of students qualifying for higher grades and rate of graduate students must be stable every year;

b) Rate of drop-out and retained students:

- In mountainous, remote and isolated areas and islands, not more than 3% of students are dropped out of school, and not more than 5% of students are retained; at gifted schools, there must be none of retained and drop-out students;

- In other regions, not more than 1% of students are dropped out of school, and not more than 2% of students are retained; at gifted schools, there must be none of retained and drop-out students;

c) Students of primary schools, lower secondary schools and upper secondary schools must be dispatched to participate in and win awards in competitions or gathering events, excellent student contests held at a rural district (urban district, town or province-governed city) level or higher, and at a province (centrally-governed city) or higher, respectively every year.

Section 3. EDUCATIONAL QUALITY EVALUATION STANDARDS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION CENTERS

Article 15. Standard 1: Management tasks

1. The center must design the strategy for its development

a) This strategy must address overall and detailed goals and objectives, and approaches to reach these goals and objectives;

b) The strategy must be consistent with the center’s resource and local socio-economic development with the intention of meeting regular and lifetime study demands of all people;

c) The strategy must be approved by the Department of Education and Training, publicly released in a notice posted in the center or broadcast through local means of mass media, on the website of the Department of Education and Training or the center’s website (if any).

2. The center must conduct a survey into social study demands as the basis for setting up its action plan.

a) Carry out a survey into study people’s demands within the remit of the center;

b) Use survey results as the basis for setting the action plan to meet people’s study demands;

c) Take initiative in getting involved in regular and lifetime study, and learning society establishment campaigns.

3. The center must undertake professional administration tasks in accordance with regulations laid down by the Ministry of Education and Training.

a) Prepare the schedule of activities to be performed in every week, month, academic semester and year;

b) Apply measures to direct, examine and assess implementation of the schedule of activities; carry out professional administration and internal inspection in accordance with laws and regulations;

c) Manage records and documents in accordance with regulations and the Law on Archives.

4. The center must manage its officers, teachers and students in accordance with laws and the regulation on organization and operation of the center.

a) Prepare the plan to build the structure of officers, teachers and employees; ensure employee recruitment, promotion and appointment comply with laws;

b) Fully perform duties to manage its officers, teachers, employees and students;

c) Effectively mobilize teachers already available in the locality where the school is located, and experienced and devoted teachers for educational programs in order to meet requirements of students, knowledge and skill update, and technology transfer.

5. The center must carry out financial and asset management in accordance with state regulations.

a) Create a system of regulatory documents on management of related finances and assets, and rules and regulations of internal expenditure;

b) Prepare the budget estimate, receive, spend, keep record of, enumerate and make reports on finances and assets in accordance with the Government's regulations;

c) Manage and store records and evidence documents; carry out financial disclosure and inspection in accordance with applicable laws.

6. The center must observe guidelines and policies of the Communist Party, Government’s legislation, and regulations introduced by local government’s and education administrators at all levels; conduct emulative campaigns.

a) Implement guidelines and policies of the Communist Party, Government's legislation relating to continuing education; observe direction or administration of local Communist Party committees and local governments, professional and occupational directions by higher-level education administrators;

b) Conduct and maintain operation of emulative campaigns under the sectoral and Governmental guidelines;

c) Implement regulations on periodic and ad-hoc reports with competent authorities.

7. The center must ensure public security and safety for its students, officers, teachers and employees; prevent and control any act of violence, natural disasters and social evils.

a) Devise the plan to protect social security and order, prevent and mitigate accidents, injuries, fires, explosions, natural disasters, epidemic diseases, food poisoning, social evils in the center;

b) Ensure safety for its students, officers, teachers and employees;

c) Prohibit any act of sexual discrimination or infringement, and any act of violence that may occur within the center.

Article 16. Standard 2: Managers, teachers, employees and students

1. Managers

a) The Director and Vice Director of the center must meet requirements set out in the regulatory standards of the center’s Director, statutes on organization and operation of continuing education centers;

b) In annually assessment results, the Director and Vice Director must be ranked at least fairly good according to the regulatory standards of the Director of continuing education center;

c) The center must have an adequate number of managers at a level of a department (group) according to the Statutes on organization and operation of the center.

2. Teachers

a) The center must have an adequate number of tenured teachers for all classes; the number of contracted teachers must correspond to the scale of education and training operations in the center;

b) Teachers in continuing education programs designed for student’s attainment of certificates or diplomas stipulated in the national educational system must meet standards equivalent to these applied to each grade level in the formal education process; those in other programs must meet stipulated standards;

c) Teachers must severely comply with stipulated regular, summer, thematic or professional development self-study educational programs; creatively apply and make effective use of positive teaching methods; use information technology in professional activities.

3. Employees

a) A number of employees must be equivalent to the scale of the center;

b) Accounting staff must obtain at least profession-specific associate degrees; other employees must complete professional training courses specific to their work positions;

c) They must fully perform and accomplish their assigned duties.

4. Students

a) They have full access to information about educational objectives, programs, inspection and assessment requirements, graduation conditions, internal rules and regulations of the center; legislative regulations, policies and guidelines of the Communist Party and Government;

b) They are provided with daily life, career and job-seeking consultancy and support services; provided with opportunities to participate in cultural, sports, extracurricular entertainment and union-run activities;

c) Duly perform student’s duties and comply with regulations on student’s behavioral standards.

5. The center’s officers, teachers and employees shall have full access to stated rights.

a) They have full access to conditions necessary for them to perform their assigned tasks;

b) They are provided with professional training and refresher courses; paid salary, allowance and other benefits if they are sent to join any class to improve their professional level in accordance with laws and regulations;

c) They are provided with protections for their dignity and reputation; are entitled to claim any physical and spiritual benefits in accordance with laws.

Article 17. Standard 3: Teaching premises and equipment

1. Premises and facilities must meet minimum requirements as to the center's assigned duties.

a) Have campus areas, perimeter walls and nameboard;

b) Arrange office rooms for the director, vice director, accountant, treasurer, clerical employees, and the council’s meeting hall, and for professional departments (groups);

c) Have the library to meet study and research demands of managers, teachers, employees and students; security guard room; separate vehicle parking facilities for managers, teachers and employees and for students.

2. Classrooms must conform to stipulated requirements.

a) The center must ensure that classrooms are designed with the sufficient dimensional size, lighting system, safety, and furnished with all necessary teaching and learning aids and equipment;

b) Computing and foreign language classrooms must have internet connection;

c) Laboratories and workshop (room) for practice classes must be furnished with necessary tools, and equipment used in vocational education as required in an educational program.

3. Facilities used for daily life needs

a) Have medical rooms with required medical equipment necessary for school activities and medical or first-aid cabinets providing essential medicines in accordance with regulations;

b) Clean water supply must be adequate to meet demands of school officers, teachers, employees and students with the water supply system conforming to regulatory standards;

c) Have rooms for teacher’s rest, separate toilet facilities for officers, teachers, employees and students, for males and females which are required to meet environmental sanitation standards in accordance with applicable regulations.

4. Capitalize on and make best use of facilities or amenities already existing in the locality where the center is located to expand educational activities of the center.

a) Capitalize on and make most use of classrooms in lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools, cultural houses and meeting halls of the locality where the center is located;

b) Capitalize on and make effective use of workshops or rooms for practice classes, laboratory rooms, manufacturing and business establishments in the locality where the center is operated;

c) Collaborate with the library of the locality where the center is operated, of vocational education institutions and higher education institutions to make most use of teaching and learning materials and resources to meet study and research demands of officers, teachers and students in the center.

Article 18. Standard 4: Community involvement in education

1. Proactively counsel the Communist Party committees and local governments to perform political duties.

a) Raise people’s awareness of benefits of lifetime study and establishment of learning society;

b) Mobilize necessary resources for facility construction and educational environment formation, and unceasing improvement of educational quality;

c) Organize continuing education programs to meet lifetime study demands of people within the center’s remit.

2. The center must collaborate with institutional and individual entities in the locality within the center's remit to build and develop the center.

a) Find the best way to cooperate with unions, associations and individuals to form a healthy educational environment;

b) Mobilize and use, in an effective manner, voluntary resources or those regulated by organizations or individuals to construct infrastructure systems; provide additional teaching equipment and tools; grant awards to students who achieve good learning results, and provide support to disadvantaged students.

c) Duly implement programs for cooperation in performing activities in order to provide support and favorable conditions for all people by different age and economic sector to participate in the learning process and contribute to forming the learning society.

3. Effectively collaborate with institutional and business entities.

a) Collaborate with institutional and business entities to design academic course, curriculum, materials used in training activities;

b) Collaborate with institutional and business entities in mobilizing people to join educational courses meeting specific requirements of students, knowledge and skill update and technology transfer;

c) Collaborate with institutional and business entities in helping students to find jobs.

Article 19. Standard 5: Educational activities and results

1. The center must implement continuing education programs for the purpose of enabling students to receive certificates or diplomas in the national education system.

a) Prepare the schedule of professional activities to be performed in each academic year, semester, month and week;

b) Adhere to the predetermined time schedule for the academic year, course, teaching and learning plan in accordance with laws and regulations;

c) Review, evaluate implementation of the specified plan on a monthly basis.

2. The center must design and implement intensive educational courses.

a) Take an active part in designing intensive educational contents and courses in multiple social life sectors to meet diverse demands of people of different classes and socio-economic development demands in the locality where the center is located;

b) Ensure that educational courses that meet specific requirements of particular students, and knowledge, skill update and technology transfer courses, must be carried out according to the flexible schedule and diverse teaching methods which provide students with favorable conditions for joining these course;

c) Implement approved educational courses; carry out regular review and evaluation of relevancy of these courses to make any proper adjustment.

3. The center must make effective arrangements for educational support activities.

a) Preserve suitable time for students to take part in proper extracurricular, art performance and sports events;

b) Plan and make preparations for implementation of the task of educating students on traditional values, patriotism and life skills in a diversified and appropriate manner;

c) Apply for and receive permission from competent authorities to take care of historical, revolutionary and cultural sites; look after families of wounded soldiers, martyrs, those awarded meritorious service recognitions, and Vietnamese heroic mothers living within the scope of the center.

4. The center must conform to requirements concerning cooperation with vocational educational institutions and higher education institutions to implement continuing education courses for the purpose of enabling students to receive certificates or diplomas in the national education system.

a) Ensure conformity with requirements concerning facilities, equipment and administrative staff which are consistent with those of specific partner disciplines;

b) Manage contracted teachers and students to control educational quality;

c) Fulfill responsibilities agreed upon in the educational partnership contract; implement regulations on reporting to competent authorities on educational partnership.

5. Educational outcomes and efficiency

a) Learning ability and conduct grading outcomes of students joining illiteracy elimination courses and post-literary educational courses, continuing education programs at the lower secondary education level, and continuing education programs at the upper secondary education level, must meet predetermined educational goals and objectives;

b) Students receiving demand-specific educational courses, knowledge and skill update and technology transfer courses must be able to apply their acquired knowledge to real life;

c) Students completing demand-specific educational courses, knowledge and skill update and technology transfer courses must be able to make their contribution to meeting socio-economic requirements within the locality where the center is operated.

Chapter III

EDUCATIONAL ACCREDITATION PROCESS AND FREQUENCY

Section 1. PROCESS, FREQUENCY AND REQUIREMENTS OF EDUCATIONAL ACCREDITATION IN EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Article 20. Process for educational accreditation in educational institutions

Process for educational accreditation in educational institutions shall include the following steps:

1. Self-assessment by educational institutions.

2. Request for external assessment of educational institutions.

3. External assessment of educational institutions.

4. Accreditation granted to educational institutions conforming to educational quality standards and certification of accredited educational quality.

Article 21. Frequency of educational accreditation in educational institutions

1. Educational accreditation in educational institutions shall be conducted at a 5-year interval that starts from the date on which educational quality certification is signed.

2. Educational institutions obtaining accredited educational quality standards at the level 1 and 2 referred to in Article 31 hereof shall, after an interval of at least 2 academic years from the self-assessment date, request external assessments to gain higher-level accreditation.

Article 22. Requirements of educational accreditation in education institutions

Educational institutions shall be eligible for conducting educational accreditation provided that they meet the following requirements:

1. Have all required grades.

2. Ensure that at least one generation of students has completed the general education program, or completed the continuing education course for the purpose of receiving certificates or diplomas in the national education system in all of grades available at educational institutions.

Section 2. SELF-ASSESSMENT BY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Article 23. Self-assessment process

Process for self-assessment by educational institutions shall include the following steps:

1. Establish self-assessment board.

2. Formulate the self-assessment plan.

3. Collect, process and analyze proofs.

4. Measure degree of conformance by specific criteria.

5. Prepare the self-assessment report.

6. Release the self-assessment report.

Article 24. Self-assessment board

1. The Principal (Director) shall make a decision to establish the self-assessment board of his/her educational institution. The board shall be composed of at least 5 members.

2. Composition of the self-assessment board:

a) The Chairperson of the self-assessment board must be the Principal (Director) of educational institution;

b) The Vice Chairperson of the self-assessment board must be the Vice Principal (Vice Director) of educational institution;

c) The Secretary of the self-assessment board must be the secretary of the school (center) council or the head of the clerical and/or administrative, professional or other department (where applicable) in the educational institution;

d) Other members are representatives of the school council in a public school or the management board in a private school; the head of the clerical and/or administrative, professional or other department (where applicable); representatives of the Communist Party committees, unions or associations.

Article 25. Functions, duties and powers of the self-assessment board

1. The self-assessment board shall perform its functions in making necessary arrangements for self-assessment and advising the Principal (Director) on approaches to improving quality of activities performed by educational institutions.

2. Duties and powers of the self-assessment board

a) The self-assessment board shall take on the following duties: Establish the self-assessment plan; collect, process and analyze proofs; prepare the self-assessment report; make any necessary modification to compile the complete self-assessment report as requested by the higher-level regulatory body; release the self-assessment report; store self-assessment databases of the educational institution;

b) The Chairperson of the self-assessment board shall be responsible for managing operations of the board; assigning duties to specific members; approving the self-assessment plan; establishing secretarial and work groups to perform self-assessments; directing the process of collecting, processing and analyzing proofs; making the complete self-assessment report; dealing with any issues that may arise in self-assessments.

c) The Vice Chairperson of the self-assessment board shall take on duties assigned by the Chairperson and act on behalf of the Chairperson to manage the board;

d) The Secretary and members of the self-assessment board shall perform tasks assigned by the Chairperson and bear responsibility for these assigned tasks.

3. The self-assessment board shall be entitled to request the Principal (Director) to hire consultants to help the board to carry out self-assessments whenever necessary. Consultants must have thorough knowledge about educational accreditation and self-assessment techniques.

Section 3. REQUEST FOR EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Article 26. Documents submitted to request external assessment of educational institutions

Documents submitted to request external assessment of educational institutions shall comprise:

1. Written request for external assessment.

2. Self-assessment report (2 copies).

Article 27. Reception and verification of documents submitted to request external assessment of educational institutions

1. The Office of Education and Training within rural, urban districts, towns, province-affiliated cities (hereinafter referred to as the Office of Education and Training) shall assume the following responsibilities:

a) Receive, check documents submitted to request external assessment of educational institutions within their jurisdiction, notify educational institutions in writing of whether the submitted request is accepted or needs further improvement;

b) Send the accepted request to the Department of Education and Training.

2. The Department of Education and Training shall bear the following responsibilities:

a) Receive, check documents submitted to request external assessment of educational institutions received from different Offices of Education and Training and notify them in writing of whether the submitted request is accepted or needs further improvement;

b) Receive, check documents submitted to request external assessment from educational institutions within their jurisdiction, notify educational institutions in writing of whether the submitted request is accepted or needs further improvement.

3. Reception and inspection of documents submitted to request external assessment with respect to educational institutions within the authority of relevant Ministries and sectoral regulatory agencies shall follow specific instructions of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Section 4. External assessment in educational institutions

Article 28. External assessment process

Process for external assessment in educational institutions shall include the following steps:

1. Study necessary assessment documents.

2. Carry out preliminary inspection in educational institutions.

3. Carry out formal inspection in educational institutions.

4. Prepare the draft external assessment report.

5. Collect feedbacks from educational institutions on the draft external assessment report.

6. Make the complete external assessment report.

Article 29. External assessment team

1. Composition of the external assessment team

a) The external assessment team (hereinafter referred to as the team) shall be composed of 5 – 7 members and established according to the decision issued by the Director of the Department of Education and Training. The team shall be composed of:

- Team leader who is the Principal (Director) or Vice Principal (Vice Director) of the educational institution subject to external assessment, or the head or vice head of the Office of Education and Training, the head, vice head of functional divisions in the Department of Education and Training;

- The Secretary and members of the team who are managers, teachers of educational institutions subject to external assessment, officers of the Office of Education and Training, the Department of Education and Training having experience in performing educational accreditations.

b) Organizational structure of the team providing external assessment of educational institutions within the authority of relevant Ministries and sectoral regulatory agencies shall follow specific instructions of the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. Eligibility standards of the team members: having good moral values, honesty and showing objectivity; previously or currently no longer work at educational institutions subject to external assessment; having at least 5 years' experience in the education sector; having completed educational and training courses on external assessment organized by the Ministry of Education and Training.

3. The team shall take on the following duties:

a) The team undertakes the duties, such as surveying, assessing and identifying an educational institution’s degree of conformance to educational accreditation criteria; requesting whether educational institutions conforming to educational quality standards shall be recognized or not;

b) The team leader shall be responsible for managing activities of the team and assigning duties to members;

c) The Secretary of the team shall prepare reports, records and consolidate external assessment results and assist the team leader in performing assessment activities;

d) Other members shall perform duties assigned by the team leader.

4. The team shall have the burden of ensuring confidentiality for information about assessment contents and results before notifying external assessment results to educational institutions.

Article 30. Notification of external assessment results

1. The draft external assessment report must be sent to educational institutions subject to external assessment to get their opinions. Within a period of 10 working days of receipt of the draft external assessment report, if recipients do not have any response, this means that they have agreed with assessment results.

2. Within a period of 10 working days of receipt of responses from educational institutions subject to external assessment, the team must notify these institutions in writing of which opinions are accepted or rejected for changes made. In case of opinions rejected for changes made, the team must give clear reasons.

3. The official report on external assessment of educational institutions shall be posted on the website of the Department of Education and Training.

4. Based on external assessment results, educational institutions shall supplement and complete the self-assessment report; execute the quality improvement plan which has been determined in the self-assessment report.

Section 5. ACCREDITATION GRANTED TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS CONFORMING TO EDUCATIONAL QUALITY STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION OF ACCREDITED EDUCATIONAL QUALITY.

Article 31. Accreditation granted to educational institutions conforming to educational quality standards

1. Primary schools shall be evaluated and accredited as conforming to educational quality standards according to the educational accreditation standards of primary school referred to in Section 1, Chapter II hereof at 3 levels as follows:

a) Level 1: Primary schools conforming to at least 60% of educational accreditation criteria;

b) Level 2: Primary schools conforming to 70% - under 85% of educational accreditation criteria, including the following criteria:

- Standard 1: including criteria: 1, 2, 4, 6;

- Standard 2: including criteria: 1, 2, 3, 5;

- Standard 3: including criteria: 6;

- Standard 4: including criteria: 1;

- Standard 5: including criteria: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7;

c) Level 3: Primary schools conforming to at least 85% of criteria, including conforming to level-2 criteria.

2. Primary schools shall be evaluated and accredited as conforming to educational quality standards according to the educational accreditation standards of primary school referred to in Section 2, Chapter II hereof at 3 levels as follows:

a) Level 1: Primary schools conforming to at least 60% of educational accreditation criteria;

b) Level 2: Primary schools conforming to 70% - under 85% of educational accreditation criteria, including the following criteria:

- Standard 1: including criteria: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9;

- Standard 2: including criteria: 1, 3, 5;

- Standard 3: including criteria: 6;

- Standard 4: including criteria: 2;

- Standard 5: including criteria: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 12;

c) Level 3: Secondary schools conforming to at least 85% of criteria, including conforming to level-2 criteria.

3. Continuing education centers shall be evaluated and accredited as conforming to educational quality standards according to the educational accreditation standards of continuing education center referred to in Section 3, Chapter II hereof at 3 levels as follows:

a) Level 1: Continuing education centers conforming to 60% - under 70% of educational accreditation criteria;

b) Level 2: Continuing education centers conforming to 70% - under 85% of educational accreditation criteria;

c) Level 3: Continuing education centers conforming to at least 85% of educational accreditation criteria.

4. A criterion shall be accredited as conforming to predetermined standards if all relevant criteria also conform to such standards.

Article 32. Certification of accredited educational quality and release of educational accreditation results

1. Based on external assessment results, within a period of 20 working days, the Director of the Department of Education and Training shall make his/her decision to grant the certificate of accredited educational quality for educational institutions. The sample certificate given in the Appendix hereto must be used.

2. Educational accreditation results must be posted on the website of the Department of Education and Training.

3. Certification of accredited educational quality for educational institutions within jurisdiction of Ministries or sectoral regulatory bodies shall follow specific instructions of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Article 33. Revocation of certification of accredited educational quality

1. Where educational institutions have no longer met assessment standards within the validity period of the certificate of accredited educational quality, this certificate shall be revoked.

2. Within a period of 20 working days after the date on which educational administrators have established that educational institutions have no longer met educational quality evaluation standards, the Director of the Department of Education and Training shall make his/her decision to revoke the certificate of accredited educational quality and announce information about this revocation on the website of the Department of Education and Training.

3. Revocation of certification of accredited educational quality for educational institutions within jurisdiction of Ministries or sectoral regulatory bodies shall follow specific instructions of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Chapter VI

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 34. Responsibilities of the Department of Education and Training

1. Design the plan for educational accreditation of educational institutions, guide, direct, examine and supervise Offices of Education and Training, educational institutions under its authority to ensure they comply with educational accreditation regulated by the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. Request the People’s Committee of central-affiliated cities and provinces to adopt regulations on quantitative measurement of several criteria in the standards for educational quality evaluation of continuing education centers as referred to in Section 3, Chapter II hereof according to the following rules: Conforming to socio-economic conditions of each locality and assessing proactivity and creativity of continuing education centers.

3. Provide professional training for institutional and individual entities involved in educational accreditation tasks.

4. Supervise, direct educational institutions within its authority to execute the educational quality improvement plan to unceasingly increase educational quality.

5. At the end of each academic year, report to the People’s Committee of central-affiliated cities or provinces, the Ministry of Education and Training on the number of educational institutions that complete self-assessment reports, are permitted for external assessments, on the external assessment plan and results, and activities relating to educational accreditation, in order to be provided with instructions, directions, inspections, examinations and supervisions.

Article 35. Responsibilities of the Office of Education and Training

1. Design the plan for educational accreditation of educational institutions, and guide, direct, oversee and inspect, examine educational institutions subject to educational accreditation regulated by the Department and the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. Supervise, direct educational institutions within its authority to execute the educational quality improvement plan to unceasingly increase educational quality.

3. At the end of each academic year, report to the People’s Committee at the rural/urban district, town, province-governed city, or the Department of Education and Training, on the list of educational institutions that complete self-assessment reports, are permitted for external assessments, have undergone external assessment, on the results of external assessment and activities relating to educational accreditations, in order to be provided with instructions, directions, inspections, examinations and supervisions.

Article 36. Responsibilities of educational institutions

1. Conduct self-assessment in accordance with regulations adopted by educational administrators.

2. Execute the educational quality improvement plan included in the self-assessment report as directed by immediately higher-level regulatory bodies and advised by the external assessment team.

3. Prepare a full amount of documents and data relating to operations of educational institutions and other necessary conditions as the basis for external assessment activities; respond to opinions on the draft external assessment report in a timely manner.

4. Consolidate and uphold educational accreditation results, incessantly increase and improve educational quality./.