US Peace Corps Volunteers Teaching English in Hanoi

The first group of Peace Corps Volunteers arrived at Vietnam. Source: US’s embassy in Vietnam

The Peace Corps on October 27 welcomed its first ever cohort of 10 volunteers to Vietnam, as part of an agreement on English teaching of the Peace Corps programme based on the Vietnam-US framework agreement signed in 2016.

These volunteers will serve in secondary schools throughout the districts of Hanoi beginning in January 2023, after 10 weeks of comprehensive training to build the cultural understanding and skills necessary to work effectively in Vietnam’s educational system.

The arrival of this group of Volunteers marks a significant milestone in the Vietnam-US relationship, building on decades of growing people-to-people ties and close partnership to promote English language learning.

The focus of the Peace Corps program in Vietnam is English education, as outlined in an Implementing Agreement signed in 2020 between the US and Vietnamese governments with Peace Corps and the Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training (MOET).

Fully aligned with MOET’s national priorities for English Language Education, these volunteers will serve in secondary schools throughout the districts of Hanoi beginning in January 2023, after 10 weeks of comprehensive training to build the cultural understanding and skills necessary to work effectively in Vietnam’s educational system.

They will be assigned to co-teach English classes alongside Vietnamese teachers.

Prior to leaving the US, the volunteers gathered on October 25 in Washington, D.C., where they heard remarks and words of encouragement from Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyen Quoc Dung.

The first group of Peace Corps Volunteers welcomed at the Noi Bai airport. Source: US’s embassy in Vietnam

Peace Corps Vietnam will focus on English education. Source: US’s embassy in Vietnam

MOET’s Vice Minister Nguyen Van Phuc had signed the signing of the implementing agreement between the Peace Corps and the Ministry in Hanoi in July 2020 at a reception with then US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink.

During then-US President Barack Obama’s trip to Vietnam in May 2016, Vietnam and the US had signed a framework agreement on the Peace Corps operation in Vietnam.

After five years, the agreement has been officially signed in 2020, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the US, bringing Peace Corps volunteers to Vietnam for the first time ever.

Peace Corps is an independent agency under the Executive Branch of the US government which operates a volunteer program to provide host governments with assistance on their development priorities.

The Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad on behalf of the US to work with communities and create lasting change, according to its website.

Volunteers work at the grassroots level to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development.

Since US President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans of all ages have served in 142 countries worldwide.

Vietnam is the 143rd country to host Peace Corps volunteers.