Vietnamese Education Reform in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries – Some Lessons Learned (From Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Practice)

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue I, January 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

Vietnamese Education Reform in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries – Some Lessons Learned (From Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Practice)

Assoc. Prof. Dr, Pham Ngoc Tram¹ & MSc. Ngo Minh Sang^{2*
1, 2} Thu Dau Mot University (TDMU), Binh Duong, Vietnam
*Corresponding Author

Abstract: Although it only existed for a short time (from March to November 1907), Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc has left a valuable legacy of the spirit and content of educational reform. Through educational renovation activities of Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc, the article analyzes valuable historical experiences in educational reform such as: improving people’s knowledge; overcoming conservative and backward obstacles; implement universal education; innovating educational thinking and methods in Vietnam in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. The lessons learned from Dong Kinh’s educational innovation have longstanding historical value for the reform of education in Vietnam in the current period.

Keywords: Educational reform, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc, Duy Tan

I. INTRODUCTION

There were several significant upheavals in Vietnamese history. Many reform-thinking patriots proposed measures to carry out reforms to help the country develop. Vietnamese education reform is one of the patriotic activities of the Vietnamese people that appeared in this period to “study and work” with the desire to solve the crisis of the era.
The reform of education in Vietnam in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was initiated by patriotic scholars and intellectuals, and was also seen as a means of saving the country from the domination of colonialism. However, the reform of education has not brought the desired results.

Vietnam’s educational reform in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century is one of the patriotic activities of the Vietnamese people to “study and work” with the desire to solve the crisis of the era. Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc is a typical phenomenon of educational reform in Vietnam. Although it only existed for a short time (from March to November 1907), Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc has left a valuable legacy of the spirit and content of educational reform. In which, it is highlighted with valuable historical experiences in educational reform: improving people’s knowledge; overcoming conservative and backward obstacles; implementing “universal education”; innovative thinking and educational methods.

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