Teaching English: opportunity or inequality?

Thang, his colleague in Vietnam, found his dream job within a month of arriving in New Zealand simply because of his greater English proficiency.

Lan's story underscores the reality that professional expertise alone may not be enough to secure opportunities without strong English skills.

It also brings to mind Robert Phillipson's book "Linguistic Imperialism", which argues that English is not only a means of communication but also a powerful tool that shapes social structures and creates inequalities.

Language barriers can quickly turn into linguicism—discrimination based on language, dialect or accent.

In Lan's case, his professional expertise has been disregarded because of his limited English.

This problem extends far beyond individuals.

Globally, linguicism is reinforced by the dominance of English in science, business and media, often overshadowing other languages and limiting opportunities for those who do not use English.

In education, English Medium Instruction (EMI) has been shown to create inequalities in non-English-speaking countries, with students with weaker English skills, particularly those from rural or minority backgrounds, being disadvantaged compared to urban students, who are exposed to English earlier.

Students at Nguyen Van To Secondary School in Ho Chi Minh City study sciences with a foreign teacher, September 2024. Photo courtesy of EMG

Vietnam is moving toward wider EMI adoption with Decree 222, which takes effect on Sept. 25. It allows public schools to teach math, natural sciences and computing in English, with the goal of making English a second language nationwide by 2035.

As a teacher, I see both the value and downsides of this decision. On one hand, it would enable Vietnamese students to access global knowledge and improve their competitiveness. On the other, its implementation will be difficult.

A 2020 national survey found that only 30% of English teachers in rural areas had achieved B2 proficiency while in urban areas it was 70%.

One of my colleagues who teaches math in a rural school said: "When teaching in English, we can only choose simple math because the vocab will be simple vocabularies. We cannot deal with complex concepts."

This shows how English integration, while well intentioned, can actually limit what students learn.

Another source of inequality is the obsession with international language certificates like IELTS.

In Vietnam, certain IELTS scores allow students to skip the English high school graduation test or gain extra university admission points.

So students and families spend enormous amounts of time and money on preparing for them.

One student told me she had spent nearly VND15 million (US$570) taking three IELTS tests in addition to around VND20 million for training courses for them.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, tens of thousands of students have skipped the graduation English test in recent years thanks to IELTS, but most were from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.

English has become an opportunity for those who can afford it, but also a financial barrier that excludes many poorer students in rural areas.

Some argue that rural students can learn English online, but this does not address the structural gap between rich and poor, urban and rural. Personal effort cannot make up for unequal access to quality education. Government policies will be crucial in closing this gap.

Other Southeast Asian countries offer important lessons. Malaysia began teaching math and science in English in 2003 but stopped in 2012 because 70% of rural students could not keep up. Indonesia limited English-language education to international and private schools due to a shortage of qualified teachers. Thailand’s bilingual programs primarily serve wealthy families.

Singapore stands out as a rare success, thanks to decades of investment in teacher training and a strong multilingual system, but Vietnam lacks such a foundation.

For Vietnam, the priority should be ensuring that English opens opportunities rather than create burdens.

Policymakers should consider small-scale trials in areas with adequate resources before expanding nationwide. Teachers and students in rural areas need training and financial support.

Vietnam should also develop its own high-quality, low-cost English proficiency test to reduce dependence on IELTS.

English should be a bridge, not a barrier. Education should expand opportunities, not reinforce inequality.

*Pham Hoa Hiep is a lecturer.