Baseline Report: Green School Certification (Vietnam, 2025)

This baseline study examines the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of students and teachers regarding climate change and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in secondary schools, with the aim of identifying key enablers and barriers to integrating Climate Change Education (CCE) into the formal school system. The study provides an evidence base for the implementation of the Green School Certification (GSC) model during the 2025–2026 period.

A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving surveys with 355 respondents (262 students, including club members and non-members, and 93 teachers) and qualitative data collection through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with students, teachers, school leaders, and a Department of Education and Training (DOET) representative.

Findings indicate that students’ knowledge of climate change is moderate but fragmented, with fewer than 30% able to accurately define basic climate concepts. Despite this, students demonstrate strong interest in climate-related learning and engage in simple pro-environmental behaviors, though fewer than half report practicing multiple actions. Teachers’ familiarity with CCE remains limited, and most have not received formal training. Teaching practices are predominantly lecture-based, with limited use of active and experiential learning approaches. Schools face substantial resource constraints, including outdated textbooks and a lack of localized and standardized CCE materials.

Key enabling factors include high levels of teacher motivation, positive student attitudes, basic digital infrastructure, and curricular flexibility at the provincial level. Major barriers consist of curriculum overload, limited instructional time, resource and digital inequities, and low prioritization of non-exam-oriented content. The study highlights critical gaps in capacity, pedagogy, and system-level support that must be addressed to effectively institutionalize CCE through the GSC model.