Hanoi leaps in English proficiency, leaves HCMC behind: Swiss ranking

It only made a step up from the low proficiency group this year in Swiss Education First’s EF English Proficiency Index.

It scored 548 points out of 800, up from 481 last year.

Ho Chi Minh City scored 480, only three points higher than last year, to remain in the low proficiency group.

Vietnam ranked 66th out of 112 countries and territories, one rank lower than last year though its score rose from 473 to 486, and remained in the low proficiency group.

The ranking is based on data from more than two million adults from non-native English speaking countries and territories who took the company’s EF Standard English Test or other English placement tests.

In Vietnam, English is a compulsory subject from third grade onwards.

Students in public schools are mostly taught using the traditional methods of grammar exercises and vocabulary cramming.

In major cities like Hanoi and HCMC, many people send their children to English centers at an early age.