Đông Kinh Nghĩa Thục (Dong Kinh Private School of Righteousness) and the education reform movement in Vietnam in early twentieth century

Abstract

The year 2007 is marked by the 100th anniversary
celebration of the opening and closing of Dong Kinh
Private School of Righteousness (founded in March
1907 and to be closed in December 2007) which
was the first private-run school, or more precisely a
movement, the Dong Kinh Private School of
Righteousness movement, aimed at bringing in a
revolutionary shift in operational content and
method in the education history of Vietnam. Despite
of its one-year old life, the Dong Kinh Private
School of Righteousness movement had an
enormous contribution to the education reform,
absorbing the Western civilization transmitted to
Vietnam. The Dong Kinh Private School of
Righteousness education reform movement was
manifested both in terms of educational content and
method, contributing to improving the educational
level of the people of the country. To assess the
authentic significance and vast value of the Dong
Kinh Private School of Righteousness, the author
reviewed the historical context of the founding as
well as initiators and executors of the movement,
analyzed concrete its undertakings through historical
lens. Referring to the on-going education of the
country, the author pointed out lessons relating to
school organization, textbook design and
development, combination of educative content and
teaching methodology, a lesson of “the heart” of
teachers, precious humanity of the educational work.