Sources: UNICEF Viet Nam, World Bank.
Vinh Loc, on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, is home to many families who have migrated from rural provinces in search of work.
Parents often depend on informal or low-income employment, including factory work, street vending, and recycling. Financial pressure, unstable working conditions, and difficulties obtaining the documents required for enrolment can prevent children from entering the formal education system.
Some children arrive at school without foundational literacy or numeracy skills. Others have missed years of learning and need tailored support to get back on track. Without an accessible alternative, they risk continuing through childhood without the skills and opportunities that education can provide.
Established by the Loreto Sisters in 2020, the Vinh Loc Learning Support Program provides Vietnamese language, literacy, numeracy, and foundational learning in a safe and welcoming environment for children who have missed out on formal schooling.
Children learn in small groups according to their ability rather than their age, allowing teachers to respond to different learning needs and experiences. Alongside academic support, students have opportunities to play, form friendships, celebrate together, and experience a sense of belonging in a classroom community.
Children are placed in smaller learning groups based on their current skills and support needs. Lessons focus on Vietnamese language, literacy, numeracy, and foundational knowledge. This allows children who have missed school to begin at an appropriate level and progress with greater confidence.
Teachers help children build the academic foundations required to enter the government education system.
The program also works alongside families to obtain the identification documents needed for local enrolment. Once children transition, continued learning support helps them adjust to a more advanced curriculum and remain engaged in their education.
Classes continue during the extended summer break, helping children maintain their progress and strengthen skills before the new school year.
Formal-school students can also attend during the holidays, creating a shared learning environment where children from different educational backgrounds learn and play together.
Education at Vinh Loc extends beyond academic learning. Games, crafts, birthdays, festivals, uniforms, and time with friends help children develop confidence, social skills, and a sense of belonging. For students who have previously been excluded from school, these experiences help them see themselves as learners and valued members of a classroom community.
Khoa* and his older sister Minh* joined the Vinh Loc Learning Support Program in 2024.
After three months, they stopped attending because no one was available to take them to class. When their teachers learned what had happened, they worked with another family to arrange transport so the children could return.
Today, Khoa and Minh read and write confidently, are among the strongest students in their learning groups, and enjoy spending time with their classmates.
Their experience shows how attentive, individual support can remove practical barriers and help children continue an education they are eager to pursue.
*Names changed for privacy.
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