Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training has issued a new AI education framework requiring all schools to teach artificial intelligence starting in the 2026-2027 academic year. The framework divides instruction into core content - 12 mandatory class periods per grade each year - and an extended component that schools can tailor based on student needs and local conditions.
The core curriculum is designed to give students the minimum essential AI knowledge and skills they can apply across other subjects and educational activities under the national general education curriculum. Schools will develop their own education plans based on this core content, adapting delivery to each grade level, student characteristics, and practical circumstances.
For the extended component, schools decide how much time to allocate. They can select content that broadens students' knowledge and develops skills and creative capabilities, based on student needs and actual conditions.
Three implementation approaches
The framework gives schools three ways to deliver AI education: dedicated AI modules, integration into existing subjects and activities, and needs-based activities such as clubs, field trips, and extracurricular programs.
Dedicated modules ensure completion of the core content. Integration into subjects reinforces and applies that content and may cover parts of the extended curriculum. Needs-based activities operate on a voluntary basis and help students who want to explore AI at a more advanced level develop their abilities and talents.
Safeguards for safe and ethical AI use
Schools are responsible for selecting and reviewing AI tools to ensure they match students' ages, educational objectives, and terms of use. They must provide guidance and supervision on AI use, comply with legal regulations on personal data protection, intellectual property, and information security, and establish procedures for receiving and handling related incidents.
The framework also addresses funding. Any resource mobilization from society must be voluntary, open, and transparent, and must not place financial pressure on students or parents.
Provincial Departments of Education and Training will direct schools to review their readiness and develop implementation plans. They will also advise provincial People's Committees on ensuring conditions for two-session-per-day schooling, with priority given to staffing, funding, facilities, equipment, learning materials, and technical support - particularly for schools in mountainous, remote, and isolated areas.
Why this matters for education professionals
For teachers and school administrators, the 12-period minimum per grade signals a concrete shift: AI literacy is becoming a required part of the school day, not an enrichment activity. The framework's flexibility on delivery methods means educators will need to decide which of the three approaches fits their school's capacity - and for those in under-resourced regions, the gap between the mandate and available infrastructure will be the immediate challenge. AI for Teachers training can help educators prepare for this requirement. For a broader look at how AI is being integrated into school systems, see AI for Education.
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