On the 29th November 2024, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training held a conference to summarize 10 years of implementing Project 5695. This is a program for teaching and learning Mathematics, Science, and English by integrating the Vietnamese and British curricula.

Students in Ho Chi Minh City in Science class with English under Project 5695 - Photo: NHƯ HÙNG

High academic performance

In his report at the conference, Mr. Nguyễn Bảo Quốc, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training (DOET), stated that initially, Project 5695 was implemented in a few schools in the city.

From the positive results, many parents showed interest in having their children participate in the program. Therefore, the Department of Education and Training expanded it to many other schools.

In 2014, Project 5695 was implemented in 18 schools in 3 districts with 600 students. By 2024, more than 30,000 students from 160 schools in 20 districts have been participating in the Integrated English Program.

From left to right: Mr. Phạm Ngọc Thưởng, Deputy Minister of Education and Training; Mrs. Trần Thị Diệu Thúy, Deputy Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee; and Mr. Nguyễn Văn Hiếu, Director of the Department of Education and Training, at the conference - Photo: NHƯ HÙNG

According to Mr. Quốc, the academic results of students participating in Project 5695 have always been high, especially in Mathematics and Science subjects. The percentage of students achieving excellent scores in periodic and final exams for Mathematics and Science in English is always between 85% - 90%.

Additionally, the percentage of students taking the international Pearson Edexcel certification exams with a Pass result in the three subjects of English, Mathematics, and Science over 10 years is: Primary level: 86%, Secondary level: 92%, High school level: 96%.

Conference to summarize 10 years of implementing Project 5695 - Photo: NHƯ HÙNG

Mr. Quốc further stated: “Most students, upon completing the program at various levels, achieve the corresponding proficiency levels according to the 6-level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework of the Ministry of Education and Training, equivalent to the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Many students can communicate fluently in English, especially in academic and scientific contexts.

Over the 10 years of implementation, Project 5695 has helped many students achieve high results in international academic competitions. Specifically, many students have won high prizes in Mathematics and Science competitions in English at international math contests, with 5 students achieving the highest scores in the world in Pearson Edexcel international certificate exams;

41 students have been awarded the Outstanding Learners Awards by the Pearson Edexcel International Examination Board for achieving the highest scores nationwide; 119 students have been awarded the Excellence Awards by the Pearson Edexcel International Examination Board for their outstanding achievements.”

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Phạm Ngọc Thưởng (third from the right) and Mrs. Trần Thị Diệu Thuý (second from the left) award certificates of merit to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training and EMG Education - Photo: NHƯ HÙNG

Four key conditions

From the perspective of a partner implementing the Integrated English Program, Mrs. Nguyễn Phương Lan, CEO of EMG Education, summarized that the success of the Integrated English Program today is due to ensuring four key conditions.

“Firstly, a consistent, effective, and successful "four-pillar" cooperation model. In this model, administrators/education government authority select and designate suitable schools for participation; schools support, coordinate, and manage the program's implementation;

Businesses develop the curriculum framework, implement teaching, including applying advanced and modern educational methods from around the world, and high-tech applications in education; learners (parents-students): students play a central role, directly participating in the learning process and benefiting from educational values; parents accompany students and are the foundation for students' development.

The consensus and cooperation of these four pillars bring consistency and sustainability to the program, and this is also a prerequisite for the program to be expanded in the future,” Mrs. Lan affirmed.

Mrs. Nguyễn Phương Lan, CEO of EMG Education, delivers her remarks at the conference - Photo: NHƯ HÙNG

According to Mrs. Lan, the second key condition is the quality of the teaching staff. Mrs. Lan said: “With the mission of creating an international-class educational environment that is aligned with and suitable for the central and Ho Chi Minh City's educational development orientations and policies, EMG Education has made significant investments in building a high-quality, dedicated teaching staff committed to Vietnam for the long term.

The personnel of EMG Education include experts and lecturers with many years of teaching experience from countries with the most advanced education systems in the world, such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Ireland, Canada...”

Leaders of various departments within the Ministry of Education and Training attend the conference - Photo: NHƯ HÙNG

Regarding the teaching staff for the Integrated English Program, Mrs. Lan shared: “Teachers of EMG Education are highly qualified and proficient in cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary integration methods.

They have extensive expertise and experience in effectively teaching Mathematics and Science in English using the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) approach.

With CLIL, teachers simultaneously teach students new subject content while naturally and practically developing their English language skills.

In the process of content-integrated language learning, students acquire specialized knowledge in Mathematics and Science through lessons, while comprehensively developing their language skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing through the skillful integration of activities by teachers during class.”

Mr. Trần Thế Cương, Director of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, stated that Hanoi will learn from Ho Chi Minh City's model - Photo: NHƯ HÙNG

The third condition for ensuring the success of the project is the development of a high-quality, internationally-standardized curriculum with the application of advanced technology.

Specifically, the Integrated English Program under Project 5695 is designed to meet the goals and standards of the Vietnamese education program and the Pearson Edexcel standards of the United Kingdom for subjects such as Mathematics, English, and Science.

A crucial element is the application of technology in the teaching process. 'The Integrated English Program has been making breakthroughs in applying technology platforms, technical platforms, AI technology, and the Metaverse in teaching.

The Integrated English Program was one of the leading programs in applying technology solutions and digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic in the academic years 2020-2021 and 2021-2022.

The program quickly implemented solutions such as transitioning to online teaching methods, deploying the online learning management system (LMS), and applying AI technology to support pronunciation practice... to provide the best learning experience for students, helping them access advanced and modern technology rapidly and in a timely manner compared to the world.

Mr. Nguyễn Văn Hiếu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, awards prizes to schools that have effectively implemented Project 5695 - Photo: NHƯ HÙNG

“Currently, EMG Education continues to apply and constantly improve upon the success achieved with advanced educational technologies such as 3D modeling, Virtual Experiment labs, and Metaverse-based classrooms in lessons. This ensures that students always have access to the most modern educational materials and technologies, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to be ready for future adaptation and integration," Mrs. Lan shared at the conference.

A lesson by native teachers under Project 5695 - Photo: NHƯ HÙNG

The fourth condition to ensure the success of the project, according to Mrs. Lan, is: 'Creating a practical English application environment, learning anytime, anywhere, not just limited to classroom hours.

Specifically, the program includes many project-based learning activities, STEM activities, group exercises, presentations, and film-making projects in English, which provide students with numerous opportunities to use English outside of class hours.

The achievements over the past 10 years have proven that Project 5695 is indeed a solid foundation for making English the second language in schools.

We have created a sustainable educational model suitable for Vietnam's conditions and meeting the trend of international integration. Students are not only knowledgeable but also confident in communicating and working in English, ready to compete fairly with international peers,' Mrs. Lan affirmed.

Source: Tuổi Trẻ News