English Language Company (ELC), a school in Sydney, Australia, will provide voluntary teachers from native English-speaking countries to primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities throughout Vietnam.

An agreement to this effect was signed between the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) and ELC Executive Director David Scott on January 16 in Hanoi.

In witnessing the signing, MoET Deputy Minister Nguyen Vinh Hien acknowledged the importance of the partnership to increase English proficiency in Vietnamese schools.

The event also marked the beginning of activities to commemorate 40 years of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Australia, he noted.

The same day, the MoET also signed an agreement with Australian education software developer Greg Ellis, under which Ellis will supply the ministry’s National Foreign Language Scheme with software to support students and teachers studying for Standard English and IELTS examinations.

Ellis researched Vietnamese students in Melbourne , Australia , and Ho Chi Minh City for 10 years before developing the software.-VNA