Pham Ngoc Phuong, a spokesman for the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), explained how over VND34 trillion (USD1.61 billion) will be spent on education reform.

Primary students at a school in Hanoi during a maths lesson

According to Phuong, they will need about VND105 billion to creating new content for textbooks, curriculum and teaching materials; VND910 billion will be spent on pilot teaching programmes at 600 primary, secondary and high schools; the implementation of the nationwide programme, in cluding 30,000 schools, will cost about VND8 trillion.

VND20 trillion will be spent on buying additional equipment, replacing 50% of the current equipment, and printing textbooks. The rest will be used on the application of information technology to teaching methods and exams.

The MoET said the largest chunk of the budget, VND20 trillion for equipment, will be given directly by the Ministry of Finance to localities. Leaders of the MoET also said that, even without the reform plan, they would still need funds for equipment upgrades.

At the April 15 press conference with the MoET, a representative from the media pointed out that Vietnam has already invested a large amount in teaching equipment, much of which was wasted, as some of the equipment has never been used.

A member of drafting committee for textbooks and curriculum, Do Ngoc Thong, said, "We are not hiding anything. This number is just an estimate. The entire cost of the programme must go through various reviews by the Ministry of Finance and National Assembly's inspectorates, so it's difficult to give exact numbers at this time."

Thong said they will still make use of the equipment that has already been acquired and that the main focus of the plan is on revamping learning and teaching methods. The MoET is collecting opinions and aims to complete their plan by April 25 in order to submit it for discussion at the NA meeting in May.