In a sweeping move to streamline public administration and service delivery, Vietnamese authorities are racing against the clock this October to implement a series of reforms impacting everything from education and healthcare to residence registration and vehicle management. These changes, prompted by both central and provincial directives, are reshaping the landscape of local governance and daily life for millions across the country.
On September 27, 2025, the Provincial People’s Committee issued Plan No. 02/PA-UBND, setting out a roadmap for the continued arrangement of public service units under a two-level local government model. The plan, according to official documents reviewed by local media, mandates an ambitious timeline for transferring and reorganizing key public sector functions—many of which directly touch the lives of ordinary citizens.
Central to the plan is the overhaul of healthcare provision at the grassroots level. The Department of Health has been tasked with proposing decisions to transfer medical stations—currently under district health centers—to the direct management of commune-level People’s Committees. The objective? To establish new commune medical stations that are more responsive to local needs. Proposals for these transfers, along with detailed transition plans, are due before October 22, 2025. Once the provincial government gives the green light, commune authorities must waste no time in issuing formal decisions to set up these new medical stations.
“We are working closely with all relevant agencies to ensure that, immediately after the provincial decision, commune and ward People’s Committees have the legal foundation to establish their medical stations without delay,” a spokesperson from the Department of Health told local outlets. The urgency is clear: any lag could disrupt essential services for the community, especially in rural and underserved areas.
Education, too, is undergoing a major shake-up. The Department of Education and Training has been instructed to review the entire network of educational institutions—spanning kindergartens, primary schools, and ethnic boarding schools—and to develop a new arrangement plan in line with guidance from the Ministry of Education and Training. This plan must identify schools that fall short of standards, propose solutions for their consolidation or upgrade, and detail how multi-level schools will function after the changes. The deadline for submitting this comprehensive proposal to the Provincial People’s Committee is also October 22, 2025.
Officials are adamant that the reforms must not disrupt ongoing teaching and learning. “Our primary goal is to ensure that the reorganization does not cause confusion or instability for students, teachers, or parents,” said a senior official from the Department of Education and Training, as reported by state media. The plan will also address vocational education and continuous learning centers, aiming to streamline resources while maintaining access and quality.
The agricultural and environmental sectors are not being left behind. The Department of Agriculture and Environment is responsible for reorganizing branches of land registration offices, animal husbandry and veterinary stations, as well as crop and plant protection stations. All of this must be done according to guidance from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, with a completion target of October 25, 2025. The goal is to align local practices with national standards, making the delivery of agricultural support services more efficient and less fragmented.
Other public service units—including those in industry and trade, science and technology, finance, justice, culture, and tourism—have been ordered to prepare their own reorganization plans, adhering strictly to central government directives and the overarching provincial plan. Depending on the agency, these must be submitted before October 22 or 27, 2025. The Department of Home Affairs is playing a coordinating role, ensuring that proposals are both compliant with higher-level instructions and tailored to local realities, all while avoiding any initial overload for grassroots institutions.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Security has been busy proposing amendments to Decree No. 154/2024/ND-CP, with the aim of clarifying and simplifying several key administrative procedures in the wake of the ongoing rearrangement of administrative units. On October 18, 2025, the ministry unveiled draft changes that would, among other things, clarify rules around the regular parking and storage of vehicles, streamline residence registration—especially for minors—and standardize administrative forms to reflect the new landscape.
Under the proposed amendments, the place of regular vehicle parking must now be the actual location where the vehicle is parked, and this must be registered with the local commune or ward People’s Committee. If a vehicle owner has a rental contract or written consent from the management agency for parking, they are exempt from this registration requirement. These changes are designed to ensure that vehicle management keeps pace with the new administrative boundaries and structures.
For people with disabilities or mental health conditions, the amendment adjusts the rules on acceptable documentation. Now, certificates issued by local health facilities or the commune-level People’s Committee at the place of residence will suffice, replacing the previous requirement for certification from higher-level district health centers. This, authorities say, should make it easier for vulnerable groups to access necessary services and benefits.
Perhaps most notable for families, the draft decree also simplifies residence registration for minors. When registering for permanent or temporary residence for the first time at the address of a parent or guardian, authorities will no longer need to verify the legality and actual status of the dwelling. This, officials argue, will reduce red tape and make life a bit easier for families navigating the bureaucracy—especially in the context of widespread administrative restructuring.
Administrative forms themselves are getting a facelift. Terms that are no longer appropriate after the rearrangement of administrative units—such as references to district-level People’s Committees where no commune-level units exist—are being replaced or removed. This effort, though perhaps less visible to the public, is essential for ensuring that official paperwork matches the new reality on the ground.
These reforms are not just about paperwork and organizational charts; they are about ensuring that essential public services—healthcare, education, agricultural support, and civil administration—remain accessible, efficient, and responsive as Vietnam continues to modernize its governance structures. The timeline is tight, and the stakes are high. With deadlines looming throughout October, the coming weeks will be a test of coordination, adaptability, and the capacity of local authorities to deliver on ambitious promises.
As the dust settles on these sweeping changes, the real measure of success will be felt not in government offices, but in the everyday lives of citizens who rely on these services. For now, all eyes are on the provinces as they race to meet the deadlines—and on the central ministries, whose guidance and flexibility will be crucial in ensuring a smooth transition.
