Vietnamese students lead ASEAN in Math and Reading under SEA-PLM 2024

SEA-PLM was were released on December 4 in Manila, involving Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam.

In Viet Nam, about 6,000 Grade 5 students—together with their teachers and parents—from 152 primary schools nationwide took part in the assessment.

Viet Nam achieved an average score of 323.5 in Reading and 334.6 in Mathematics. Some 66 percent of Vietnamese pupils reached advanced proficiency in Reading, compared with the regional average of 40 percent, while 88 percent demonstrated advanced proficiency in Math, far above the regional average of 36 percent. The country also recorded the region's highest share of students meeting minimum proficiency levels aligned with the SDGs: 86 percent in Reading and 95 percent in Math.

Regional trends from SEA-PLM 2019–2024 highlight persistent challenges: only around half of ASEAN students meet the minimum Reading benchmark, and just one-third meet the Math standard. The report urges greater investment in foundational learning, improved support for disadvantaged students, and targeted measures to lift outcomes among low-performing groups.

The findings also point to continued influence of socio-economic conditions on learning outcomes, while early learning experiences and adequate school resources contribute positively. Despite improvements in teacher capacity, gaps remain in pedagogical skills. The report additionally flags concerns about declining education investment as the region's demographic dividend narrows.

Permanent Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong said the SEA-PLM dataset offers critical evidence for shaping future reforms. As Viet Nam accelerates digital transformation and deepens global integration, insights from regional and international assessments will guide efforts to improve teaching quality, student assessment, and equitable access to high-quality education./.