In 2005, the Prime Minister approved a five-year programme to develop a Learning Society.
This aimed to:

			Create a learning society in Vietnam
			Develop continuing education and strengthen formal education
			Build capacity for continuing education centres
			Develop lifelong learning in a sustainable manner and replicate the model of community learning centres
			Expand the network of open training institutions, developing community education institutions
			Develop other forms of continuing education institutions
			Develop curricula and teaching methodology relevant to continuing education
			Develop capacity for teachers, staff and collaborators who work at continuing education institutions.

So far, there are about 8,500 community learning centres across the nation, which provide around 66,600 classes for 6 million people. These community learning centres offer literacy classes for about 20,000 people, and help provide primary and lower secondary education for young people who have been unable to attend formal education.

Vocational Training Law

The Vocational Training Law also covers continuing vocational training. It states that: “Continuing vocational training shall be held at flexible times, using diverse venues and training methods to meet trainees’ needs, facilitating workers’ lifetime study, improving professional skills to meet the labour market’s requirements, and giving trainees the chance to find a job or become self-employed.”

The current vocational training system also provides multiple opportunities for trainees to dip in and out of training at different stages of their lives. The law states that trainees have the right to put their study on hold if they need to take time out, for example, to serve in the army, to take sick leave, or if they have an accident, take maternity leave or have family problems.