ADB’s Lower Secondary Education for the Most Disadvantaged Regions project helped to achieve universal lower secondary education (LSE), leading to greater social and economic inclusion of Viet Nam’s disadvantaged groups.

The project improved access, quality, relevance, and planning and management capacity of lower secondary education (LSE) in the most disadvantaged districts of the poorest 17 provinces in the three most disadvantaged regions in Viet Nam.

Improved access to secondary education directly benefited about 700,000 children aged 11–14.  This was achieved by significantly narrowing gaps in access to secondary schooling between ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic groups; introducing teaching and learning that is more relevant and more responsive to local demands; and increasing the capacity of local education authorities to plan, manage, and deliver education services.

As a result of the project, schools accommodate 65,600 more students in new classrooms, 1,525 students in community education centers, and 8,550 in semiboarding schools.