Vietnamese and foreign delegates attend a conference on State budget and public debt management held in Việt Nam recently. — VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Hậu

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Home Affairs is drafting a national programme on foreign language training for cadres and civil servants to help them improve their language proficiency and performance at work.

According to the draft version that the ministry introduced on its website earlier this month, the training programme will be for cadres and civil servants or potential candidates for managerial positions in Party, State and Government bodies of all levels – communes, districts, cities, provinces and national level.

The programme will focus on reviewing and evaluating foreign language proficiency of State employees and developing models or courses to improve language proficiency.

The programme is expected to help equip State employees with proper foreign language skills so that by 2025, their foreign language skills could meet their job requirements and the country’s demand during international integration.

Accordingly, until 2025, all cadres and public employees at central, province and district levels will undergo foreign language training courses.

About 40-50 per cent will be qualified enough to work with international partners.

Between 50-60 per cent of cadres and public employees who hold managerial positions at central agencies are expected to be able to work in international environments.

Meanwhile, the expected percentage for managers at province level is 25-35 per cent, for district level 20-25 per cent and for commune level 15-20 per cent.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is calling for public opinions on the foreign language training programme, expecting to complete and submit it to the Prime Minister this year.

When the programme is approved, localities will start developing training schemes for their staff. Approved schemes are expected to be implemented from 2021 to 2025.

Under Circular 11/2014/TT-BNV issued by the ministry in 2014, cadres and civil servants must have foreign language proficiency equal to level 4 (B2)  in the 6-level English Competencies Framework for Vietnam with A1 – basic level, A2 – Elementary, B1-Intermediate, B2 –Intermediate Advanced, C1- Advanced and C2-Highly proficient.

According to Decree 108/2014/NĐ-CP, cadres and civil servants who fail to meet the job qualifications including foreign language would be assigned to other jobs or receive further training to meet the requirements.

If there is no alternative job or training course for them and they give up their job voluntarily, they will be laid off under the Government’s policy on staff downsizing.

Reports from 50 out of 63 localities and 33 out of 48 central agencies show that there are nearly 1.7 million cadres and civil servants. The most common foreign language used is English.

Most of those working at central agencies hold B1certificates while officials at lower levels –provinces, district and communes - usually hold A2 certificates. Despite the fact that they earned foreign language certificates, public employees are said to be unable to communicate and work with foreigners.  — VNS