School sports are being actively developed at Thuan Chau High School (Son La).

To promote the development of the younger generation in general, and to build a solid foundation for high-performance sports in particular, a well-structured school sports system is needed, closely linked to the education program and adequately invested in.

The inspiring stories of young athletes overcoming adversity, exemplary school models, and strategic direction from administrators demonstrate the crucial role of school sports in nurturing Vietnamese sports talent.

The starting point of professionalism

For Dang Tam Binh, an 11th-grade student at Thuan Chau High School (Son La province), each day begins with classes, followed by a consistent badminton practice session until 8 PM. For many years, his father, a physical education teacher who introduced him to badminton at the age of five, has been by his side throughout his competitive journey. From local to national level competitions, Tam Binh's name has been associated with a long list of achievements: over 10 gold medals at various levels, awards for outstanding students, and commendations from the Provincial People's Committee. Behind these medals lies Binh's tireless perseverance and the silent support from his school.

 

Student Dang Tam Binh won the gold medal in badminton at the 2024 National Phu Dong Sports Festival.

Sharing about the efforts to overcome difficulties in developing school sports in a mountainous school, Mr. Giang Thai Hung, Principal of Thuan Chau High School, said: The school makes the most of the available facilities for badminton, volleyball, and football, while also coordinating with sports clubs in the area to organize exchanges and competitions. Experienced teachers are assigned to monitor and identify students with potential from grade 10, assess the abilities of students from junior high schools, and develop specific training plans. Talented students are given opportunities to participate in tournaments to train, gain experience, and affirm their talent. According to Mr. Hung, regardless of the conditions, with determination and a suitable plan, it is still possible to nurture a passion for sports in students.

Students from Thuan Chau High School (Son La) participate in the local amateur volleyball tournament.

Phan Dinh Phung High School (Hanoi) is a prime example of building a professional and well-organized school sports movement. The school currently has 23 clubs operating in various fields, with particular emphasis on sports, especially basketball, which has developed over the past 20 years and achieved high results at youth tournaments and the National Phu Dong Sports Festival. The biggest challenge is balancing academics and sports training, so the school always strives to cooperate with parents and students to create a reasonable schedule, making the most of the summer for students to participate in competitions and exchanges.

Ms. Do Thi Bay, Vice Principal of Phan Dinh Phung High School, suggested that the State should have a mechanism to identify and select gifted students right from the school level, policies to support professional training, coaches, and facilities, along with flexible adjustments to the curriculum for gifted students to avoid overload. In addition, clear policies encouraging, rewarding, and guiding career paths are crucial to reassure students and parents about investing in a long-term, professional sports career.

Phan Dinh Phung High School (Hanoi) is one of the exemplary schools in developing the school sports movement.

The cases of prominent figures in Vietnam's high-performance sports scene, such as Do Thi Anh Nguyet (archery), Nguyen Thi Oanh (athletics), Nguyen Thi Anh Vien (swimming), Nguyen Thuy Linh (badminton), Nguyen Huy Hoang (swimming), Ly Hoang Nam (tennis), Chau Tuyet Van (taekwondo), Pham Thi Hue (rowing), etc., further highlight the role of school sports in discovering and nurturing talent. According to the leaders of the Vietnam Department of Physical Education and Sports, without physical education classes, selection processes, or the attention of teachers, many young people would not know which sport suits them best...

Comprehensive development platform

Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet, Director of the Vietnam Department of Physical Education and Sports, affirmed that school sports are the first foundation and play a crucial role in discovering and nurturing talent. The industry's orientation for the coming period is to coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training to improve the quality of physical education, expand extracurricular sports activities, and integrate suitable sports into the main curriculum.

Director Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet also pointed out that the biggest difficulty currently is the lack of uniformity in facilities and a shortage of highly qualified physical education teachers. Many schools lack playgrounds and standard training equipment, and physical education teachers are responsible for multiple subjects and have not received specialized training in identifying and nurturing talent. Coordination between the education and sports sectors in many localities remains weak. To overcome this, specific investment policies from the state budget and social mobilization are needed, along with unified inter-sectoral guidelines clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of each level and sector.

“The biggest challenge currently is the lack of uniformity in facilities and a shortage of highly qualified physical education teachers. Many schools lack playgrounds and standard training equipment, and physical education teachers often teach multiple subjects without specialized training in identifying and nurturing talent. Coordination between the education and sports sectors in many localities remains weak. To overcome this, specific investment policies from the state budget and social contributions are needed, along with unified inter-sectoral guidelines clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of each level and sector.”Director of the Vietnam Sports Department, Nguyen Danh Hoang Viet

The Vietnam Department of Physical Education and Sports has been and continues to implement the Project on Developing Physical Fitness and Stature of Students in the period 2021-2030, with a focus on early detection of sports talents. The Department coordinates with localities to build sports club models in schools, combining training centers and gifted schools for training and development. School sports competitions such as the Phu Dong Sports Festival and the National Student Sports Games are important channels for evaluating and selecting potential talents and incorporating them into intensive training programs.

Phan Dinh Phung High School currently has 23 clubs operating in various fields.

The Department also collaborates in developing guidelines, organizing training, proposing policies for investing in infrastructure in disadvantaged areas, encouraging the "one school - one characteristic sport" model, and supporting the organization of student sports competitions. In the context of digital transformation, the Vietnam Department of Physical Education and Sports encourages localities to digitize data on school sports talent, helping to better connect schools, the sports sector, and athlete training facilities.

Dr. Tran Van Lam, Deputy Director of the Student Affairs Department (Ministry of Education and Training), stated that the collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has yielded many positive results in building a school sports system and discovering and nurturing talent. This cooperation has contributed to improving the quality of physical education and creating a foundation for the development of high-performance sports, aiming to train Vietnamese people to be comprehensively developed in knowledge, physical fitness, and life skills.

The strategic direction of coordination is based on important documents such as the Strategy for the Development of Physical Education and Sports in Vietnam to 2030, with a vision to 2045, andthe stature of Vietnamese peopleThe two Ministries also collaborated on reforming the physical education curriculum in accordance with the 2018 General Education Program, focusing on individualizing sports activities to suit students' interests, psychology, and conditions, and increasing investment in and utilization of existing facilities in localities. The two Ministries also encouraged the establishment and maintenance of sports clubs within and between schools, creating a healthy playground and opportunities to discover talent. To date, 100% of schools from primary to high school nationwide have established sports clubs.

Currently, the Ministry of Education and Training is developing a plan to innovate physical education and school sports for the period 2026-2035, with a vision to 2045. Key orientations include: developing a long-term strategy for school sports development, increasing investment in infrastructure, developing the teaching staff, innovating the content and methods of organizing sports activities, closely integrating sports and physical education with moral development assessment, strengthening inter-sectoral coordination and social participation, promoting communication, and raising awareness.