Ngyễn Chí Bính, Permanent Deputy General Director of the Việt Nam Education Publishing House, speaks at the event. — Photo courtesy of the Việt Nam Education Publishing House

HÀ NỘI — The Oxford University Press on Tuesday officially announced that the Oxford Test of English (OTE) has been recognised by the Ministry of Education and Training as equivalent to the levels of Việt Nam’s six-level foreign language proficiency framework.

It marks an important milestone, opening up another internationally recognised English assessment option for Vietnamese learners, while also affirming a new stage in the partnership journey between Việt Nam Education Publishing House (VEPH) and leading education partners around the world.

The announcement was under the Choose Oxford event, co-organised by Oxford University Press, VEPH and UKTA International Education Joint Stock Company.

The event brought together a large number of experts and education managers from both Việt Nam and abroad to discuss new trends in teaching, testing and assessing foreign language proficiency in the digital age.

Completing assessment ecosystem

Speaking at the event, Ngyễn Chí Bính, Permanent Deputy General Director of VEPH, stressed that throughout nearly 70 years of accompanying the national education sector, VEPH remained steadfast in its mission to bring knowledge to millions of pupils across the country.

According to Bính, in the context of fundamental and comprehensive education reform, providing quality learning materials alone is no longer enough.

More importantly, a synchronised education ecosystem must be built, in which learning materials, training and assessment are closely connected towards the ultimate goal of developing learners’ genuine competence.

“The words on the page and the results on the test paper must flow in the same direction – that is, the learner’s real ability,” Bính said.

He said the partnership with Oxford University Press was not a new relationship, but one that had been nurtured over nearly a decade. The two sides have worked together to develop a number of high-quality English learning materials, such as Family and Friends and the Friends English textbook series from Grade 1 to Grade 12 under the 2018 General Education Curriculum, contributing to improved foreign language teaching and learning in Việt Nam.

Continuing to develop the OTE assessment system is seen as a natural next step, completing the education value chain that VEPH is pursuing.

More international options

The Oxford Test of English (OTE) is an English proficiency test developed by Oxford University Press and validated and certified by the University of Oxford.

Unlike many traditional tests, OTE is computer-based and uses adaptive assessment technology, fully testing the four skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing in line with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, while closely reflecting English-use ability in study, work and real-life communication.

The Ministry of Education and Training’s recognition of the OTE certificate as equivalent to Việt Nam’s six-level foreign language proficiency framework not only creates another quality option for learners, but also helps diversify the foreign language assessment system in line with international standards.

At present, the OTE has been accepted by more than 1,200 schools, organisations and educational institutions worldwide as proof of English proficiency. In Việt Nam, the network of educational institutions recognising the test results is also gradually expanding.

VEPH’s connecting role

Nguyễn Uyên, Head Representative of the Oxford University Press Office in Việt Nam, presents flowers to Nguyễn Chí Bính, Permanent Deputy General Director of the Việt Nam Education Publishing House, and Hoàng Tùng, Director of UKTA International Education Joint Stock Company. — Photo courtesy of the Việt Nam Education Publishing House

Previously, VEPH and UKTA signed a memorandum of understanding on the development of the OTE assessment system in Việt Nam.

Under the agreement, UKTA remains the exclusive distributor of the OTE in Việt Nam, while VEPH serves as the National Strategic Partner, working with Oxford University Press and UKTA to develop the assessment ecosystem nationwide.

Building on its brand strength, extensive network and long-standing experience in education, VEPH will help connect educational institutions, expand the network of test centres, organise seminars, training sessions and market development activities, helping bring the OTE closer to pupils, students and learners across the country.

At the same time, the parties have committed to strict compliance with Vietnamese law, ensuring quality, security and integrity throughout the entire assessment process.

Tạ Ngọc Trí, Deputy Director General of the Department of General Education, said that the addition of internationally recognised foreign language certificates would help diversify English proficiency assessment tools, create more opportunities for learners and promote the international integration of Việt Nam’s education system.

The Ministry of Education and Training also requested that units such as VEPH involved in implementing the test continue to strictly comply with legal regulations on partnerships in the organisation of foreign language certificate examinations; ensure quality and transparency; and always place learners’ interests at the centre.

Reaffirming its commitment, VEPH leadership said the organisation will continue investing in internationally standardised learning materials, digital learning resources and modern education solutions, while accompanying international partners in building a comprehensive education ecosystem.

“Our goal is not only to bring another internationally standardised test, but also to contribute to making English gradually become a daily learning and communication tool for Vietnamese students. That is also how VEPH continues to fulfil its mission of supporting education reform and improving human resource quality in the period of integration,” Bính emphasised. — VNS