Introduction. Vietnamese educational philosophy has evolved through four distinct stages: pre-colonial, colonial, post-independence, and modern. Originating from Confucianism’s emphasis on ethics and social responsibility, education shifted to practice under French colonialism, to socialism after 1945, and to modernization after Doi Moi (1986). Doi Moi transformed Vietnam from a planned economy to a socialist-oriented market economy, resolving the crisis of the 1980s. The study utilizes historical and academic documents to analyze the interplay between individual and collective development in response to globalization. The results emphasize the importance of moral education, practical transformation, and adaptation to a pluralistic context, proposing modern policies to reduce inequality, promote modernization and sustainable development, and enrich Vietnam’s educational heritage.
Research Methodology. The study analyzes historical texts to examine Vietnamese educational philosophy across four distinct periods: pre-colonial (before 1858), colonial (1858-1945), post-independence (1945-1975), and modern (1975-present). Qualitative interpretation methods from original documents such as the Four Books, colonial decrees, works of President Ho Chi Minh, the 2013 Education Law, and assessments from scholars such as Tran Trong Kim (cultural studies) and Pham Minh Hac (educational reform). Data from the National Library of Vietnam and UNESCO are thematically coded (reason, morality, community), time-mapped, context-compared, and cross-checked to ensure reliability, with a focus on reason and moral responsibility in a pluralistic context, thereby facilitating an understanding of the development and social impact of education.
Research Results. Vietnamese educational philosophy has gone through four stages. Before colonialism, Confucianism emphasized morality and community responsibility, training officials through examinations. During the colonial period (1858-1945), vocational training replaced French education, causing resistance from Phan Boi Chau (a patriot who combined Vietnamese and Western values). After independence (1945-1975), Ho Chi Minh’s ideology combined morality and practice, popularizing writing and national defense. In the modern period (1975-present), Doi Moi (1986) promoted STEM education and global integration, while maintaining a focus on moral education. The results showed a shift from morality to practice, followed by collectivism and modernity, as societies adapted to Confucianism, colonialism, socialism, and globalization, striking a balance between individual and community interests.
Conclusions. The study traces the philosophy of Vietnamese education through four stages, from Confucianism and socialism to modern globalization, balancing individual development and collective responsibility, cultural adaptation, and global pressure. This philosophy transcends Western individualism, prioritizing community harmony and providing practical solutions to address issues of inequality, educational reform, and environmental sustainability. The spirit of solidarity in Vietnam aligns with this philosophy, suggesting potential public policy applications, but needs to be defined flexibly in a pluralistic society. The study analyzes history and orients modern education, proposing comparisons of East Asian philosophies or roles in global climate and human rights policies, affirming that reason and morality are the keys to the future.
Keywords: Vietnam, educational philosophy, Confucianism, socialism, moral education, modernization, global integration
For Citation: Kien, P. T., Dung, B. X., & Hanh, T. T. (2026). The Development of Vietnam’s Educational Philosophy in History. Perspektivy nauki i obrazovania = Perspectives of Science and Education, (1), 629–641. https://doi.org/10.32744/pse.2026.1.39
Authors:
Pham Thi Kien (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) — Associate Professor, PhD
University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH). E-mail: kienpt@ueh.edu.vn
Bui Xuan Dung (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) — PhD
University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH). E-mail: dungbx@ueh.edu.vn
Than Thi Hanh (Hanoi City, Vietnam) — PhD. Foreign Trade University. E-mail: hanhtt@ftu.edu.vn
© Pham Thi Kien, Bui Xuan Dung, Than Thi Hanh, 2026
The author’s declared no conflicts of interest
Received: 12 July 2025 | Approved: 28 September 2025 | Published: 28 February 2026
This is an open access article distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike International License (CC-BY-SA 4.0)
that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this
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