Reformist educational thought of Nguyen Truong to and its significance for educational innovation in Vietnam today

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the educational thought of Nguyen Truong To (1830–1871), one of the most prominent reformist intellectuals in nineteenth-century Vietnam. Recognized for his visionary reform proposals submitted to the Nguyen Dynasty, Nguyen Truong To placed education at the center of national modernization. Confronted with the challenges of Western colonial expansion and Vietnam’s internal stagnation, he envisioned a transformation of the country’s traditional Confucian education, which he regarded as excessively rigid, dogmatic, and detached from practical needs. He proposed replacing rote memorization and examination-centered learning with an education oriented toward science, technology, foreign languages, geography, law, and applied knowledge, disciplines essential to strengthening the nation’s intellectual and productive capacities. The article examines the philosophical underpinnings of Nguyen Truong To’s reformist ideas, emphasizing his belief that education was the decisive force for cultivating human talent, fostering moral integrity, and advancing social progress. By contextualizing his writings within the incomplete reform efforts of the Nguyen Dynasty, the study elucidates both the originality and limitations of his proposals. Furthermore, it argues that Nguyen Truong To’s progressive and humanistic perspective retains remarkable relevance today, as Vietnam continues to pursue comprehensive educational reform aligned with global integration and sustainable development. Ultimately, the analysis of Nguyen Truong To’s educational philosophy offers not only historical insight into Vietnam’s modernization struggles but also enduring lessons for constructing a modern, inclusive, and knowledge-based educational system in the twenty-first century.