On the morning of June 28, 2017, in Ho Chi Minh City, Pearson Education and EMG Education signed an official authorization agreement, appointing EMG Education as the authorized organization to administer Pearson’s English proficiency tests in Vietnam.
The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, the Department of Education and Training (DOET), and Mr. Ian Gibbons, the British Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City.
Under this agreement, the two parties agreed to launch comprehensive cooperation activities to meet the growing demand for English learning and to enhance English language proficiency among Vietnamese students and citizens.
Mr. Rod Bristow, President of Pearson Education, emphasized: “With our extensive experience in implementing internationally recognized and innovative assessment standards, Pearson Education aims to bring the greatest benefits to learners. This partnership will contribute to developing an accurate and internationally aligned English assessment system in Vietnam. More than a testing tool, it will encourage learners to explore their potential and use English as a means for research, creativity, and entrepreneurship.”
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City DOET, introducing Pearson’s testing standards will create more opportunities for students at all school levels in the city to obtain UK-recognized English certificates as well as international qualifications such as A-Level. The city will also propose that the Ministry of Education and Training allow a pilot implementation of the UK BTEC vocational framework in high schools to provide vocational training for students.
Pearson English Tests, developed by Pearson PLC Group, are designed to evaluate and benchmark the English proficiency of non-native speakers. In particular, PTE Academic results are widely recognized by prestigious universities and accepted by the immigration authorities of Australia and New Zealand for visa, migration, and academic purposes.
Pearson is the world’s largest education organization, with broad expertise spanning academic publishing, standardized assessment frameworks—including English and general education—and a wide range of innovative, technology-driven educational solutions.
On the same day, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA), Pearson Education, and EMG Education signed a cooperation agreement to standardize vocational training frameworks according to international standards, including the BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) framework—the UK’s national vocational qualification system.
The agreement also covers teacher training for vocational education, including teaching vocational programs in English, and integrating Pearson’s English testing standards into vocational institutions managed by the city’s DOLISA. The three parties agreed to jointly develop programs to strengthen professional and language skills, in line with Vietnam’s industrial development strategy.
BTEC is the UK’s national vocational education system, offering multiple qualification levels—from secondary to postgraduate—and compatible with the academic pathway from high school to master’s degrees.
Beyond its widespread implementation across UK universities and colleges, BTEC programs are also popular in Europe, South America, and several ASEAN countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, and have been officially introduced in Vietnam since 2005.
Currently, over 5,500 institutions worldwide deliver BTEC programs, with more than 2 million learners annually.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Van Lam, Deputy Director of HCMC DOLISA, announced that the city will initially pilot vocational programs following BTEC standards, alongside Pearson’s English standards and ICDL digital literacy certification, at 15 high-quality vocational schools and those with key training disciplines.
The program will then expand to other vocational institutions. This initiative aims to enhance students’ employability in high-tech industries and strengthen the city’s skilled workforce to meet the demands of global integration.
By Khanh Binh (SGGP)
