The rapid development of technology has posed an urgent challenge for Vietnam’s education sector, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City, to update and embrace new trends constantly. Beyond the goal of enhancing the quality of human resources, strengthening the teaching of ICT according to international standards enables Vietnamese students to integrate confidently into the digital era. This effort contributes significantly to realizing the ambition of making Ho Chi Minh City a leading center of economics, finance, commerce, and science and technology in Southeast Asia.

"The education sector must pursue digital transformation with a clear learning roadmap throughout the implementation of the general education curriculum, aiming to fully digitize all components of the education system by 2030," emphasized Mr. Nguyễn Văn Hiếu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training. According to him, teaching and learning ICT in schools based on international standards, including ICDL from grade 1 to grade 12, is essential and highly meaningful.

In this context, the ICDL Digital Student international informatics program, developed by the ICDL Foundation and reviewed by technology experts from the Council of European Professional Informatics Societies (CEPIS), has been launched in schools across Ho Chi Minh City.

The program consists of 17 modules distributed across grades 1 to 12, corresponding to three educational levels:

• Primary School – Digital Explorer

• Lower Secondary – Smart Digital

• Upper Secondary – Compute and Code or Professional

This structure aligns with the new Informatics curriculum under Circular No. 32/2018/TT-BGDĐT issued by the Ministry of Education and Training and plays a crucial role in implementing the city’s project titled “Improving Informatics Knowledge and Skills for General Education Students in Ho Chi Minh City Aligned with International Standards (2021–2030)”. The program enhances digital competency for students and equips them with the necessary tech skills to join the global labor market confidently.

The ICDL curriculum not only meets the city's need to boost students' digital capacity, knowledge, and skills but also aligns with the European DigComp digital competence framework. Moreover, the ICDL Digital Student program addresses all 6 competence domains of the Digital Competence Framework for Learners under Circular No. 02/2025/TT-BGDĐT, issued by the Ministry of Education and Training on January 24, 2025.

Additionally, the program introduces students to modern technology trends such as Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud Computing, Industry 4.0, Blockchain, and Robotics.

With a comprehensive, closed-loop ecosystem for teaching and learning, the ICDL program emphasizes engaging, practical content. This approach ensures students confidently absorb new knowledge in each lesson and effectively apply it in real life.

Students practicing on computers

Upon completing each module, students can take the ICDL international certification exam—a lifelong-valid certificate recognized in over 100 countries. Notably, the ICDL certificate is widely used by secondary schools and high schools as a criterion for admissions and is accepted by many colleges and universities to exempt students from general Informatics courses or as a requirement for graduation.

Students taking the certification exam at EMG Education Testing Center

Students of Nguyễn An Ninh High School during their ICDL exam

Since its launch in the 2021–2022 school year, the ICDL International Informatics Program has attracted nearly 300,000 student registrations—a remarkable figure that reflects growing interest from schools, parents, and students in equipping learners with internationally standardized digital knowledge and skills.

Thanks to the program’s practical value for students, it has garnered strong support from educational leaders, teaching staff, and parent communities alike. As a result, ICDL continues to establish itself as a cutting-edge informatics training program that contributes to the improvement of educational quality and technological integration in schools.

The program is currently widely implemented across schools in Ho Chi Minh City and is expanding to other regions across Vietnam.

Sharing the positive impact of the program, Mr. Phạm Minh Mẫn, an ICT teacher at Nguyễn Hiền Primary School (Thủ Đức City), said:
"Teaching ICDL-standard Informatics has attracted significant student interest and received great feedback. Students are trained in practical skills such as office software use, personal data protection, and basic programming."

From the perspective of lower secondary education, Mr. Trần Huỳnh Quang Hiệp, a teacher at Lê Văn Tám Secondary School (Bình Thạnh District), added:
"Through ICDL, students not only master the fundamentals of Informatics but also apply them effectively using popular office software."

Mr. Lê Trọng Tài, from Chính Nghĩa Primary School (District 5), also shared:
"The ICDL Digital Student program helps students develop comprehensive digital skills such as basic computer use, application software, information searching, cybersecurity, logical thinking, and basic programming. These skills not only allow students to use technology effectively but also lay a strong foundation for future learning and development. Most importantly, students are no longer afraid of using computers; instead, they confidently use technology in a safe and informed way, which greatly reassures parents."

Thanks to the coordinated efforts among stakeholders and the enthusiasm of teachers and school administrators, students in the ICDL Digital Student program have consistently achieved outstanding results in ICDL certification exams over the years. This success reflects not only the quality of teaching but also the program’s real-world impact on equipping students with essential digital knowledge and skills.

Students of Nguyễn Văn Tố Secondary School (District 10) at the ICDL Certificate Award Ceremony

Students of Lương Định Của Secondary School (Thủ Đức City) receiving ICDL certificates

It can be said that the ICDL certificate serves as the clearest evidence of students’ learning efforts. It not only demonstrates strong competence in Informatics but also opens up valuable opportunities for further education and future careers. This certificate is an essential tool that empowers students to confidently integrate and compete with their international peers in the digital age.