A New Era for Vietnam’s Schools: How We're Partnering for Success

HSCV's social worker is teaching soft skills to secondary students

Starting in the 2025 - 2026 academic year, Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) is rolling out a major education policy reform that requires all general education schools to implement a “two-session” school day. Students will now spend 50% of their school day on core academic subjects and the other 50% on activities that build soft skills, practical knowledge, and personal development.

This move reflects the government’s bold commitment to developing well-rounded students who are academically strong and socially, emotionally, and physically prepared for life. At HSCV, we see this as an exciting moment of alignment. Through our Youth Investment Program and especially our flagship Blossom Clubs, we offer the support schools now need: programs that help children thrive through social-emotional learning, life skills, creative expression, and community connection.

Delivering Life Skills Curriculum That Works

The new education policy requires schools to teach life skills but not all schools have a structured curriculum to follow. This leaves many educators searching for effective, tailored materials for their students.

Through our Blossom Clubs, we’ve developed a localized, age-appropriate life skills curriculum for students aged 11 - 14. Our Blossom Program features the "Inside-Out Skills" curriculum, a dynamic program designed specifically for young adolescents navigating the complex changes of puberty and social landscape.

Through engaging, art-based activities and guided self-reflection in their "Self-Reliant Journals," students in our Blossom Clubs develop crucial social-emotional competencies like managing emotions, building positive relationships, and making constructive choices.

By doing this, we help schools meet their mandate while giving students critical tools for real life.

Students are practicing soft skills and sharing their thoughts

Equipping Teachers to Lead Playful Learning

This new focus on life skills requires a fundamental shift in teaching methods: from lectures, to hands-on, interactive learning. But many teachers, especially in the more rural localities, have not received sufficient training in these methods.

That’s why our program provides comprehensive training sessions that equip teachers with the practical tools and confidence to lead engaging, hands-on life skills sessions. Following the training, our team conducts coaching trips to provide real-time, personalized support in the classroom.

By empowering teachers, we ensure that students receive high-quality instruction and that the program is sustainably embedded into the school’s own system. 

HSCV is working with school teachers to identify their needs for sharing skills

Answering the Call for Community Collaboration

The government recognizes that schools cannot undertake this ambitious policy alone. The new guidelines encourage schools to team up with development partners to bring in the expertise needed for these new life skills sessions.

This is where HSCV comes in. Our model is built on deep collaboration, leveraging the school’s own infrastructure and the trusted role of its teachers to deliver our Blossom Clubs on-site. This makes implementation seamless and cost-effective, creating a win-win: schools can confidently fulfill the government's mandate with a high-quality program, and we can achieve our goal of helping youth thrive.

Students at Den Thang, Lao Cai are interacting with their teachers

Together, We Can Scale What Works

By supporting our Youth Investment Program, you can help bring this much-needed support to more schools, more students, and more futures across Vietnam. Together, we can give more children the chance to grow into their full, resilient, self-reliant selves.

To discuss a partnership, contact our Partnership team at hscv.info@hscv.org

To sponsor a Blossom Club or a student, contact our Sponsorship team at hscv.sponsorships@hscv.org