School stakeholders' perspectives on the implementation of school-based management in Vietnam's education reform

School-based management (SBM) enhances decentralisation and autonomy to improve school leadership and management, but in countries like Vietnam, research on its implementation remains limited. This study investigates SBM practices in Vietnamese primary schools, where current education reforms focus on administrative decentralisation and grant schools more decision-making authority in areas such as personnel, finance, administration and curriculum. The participants included principals, academic group leaders, and teachers from nine primary schools (45 individuals in total). Analysis of in-depth interviews revealed that SBM implementation in Vietnamese primary schools is partial and inconsistent. Although each participating school had a complete school council, decision-making was not fully decentralised, especially in areas such as budgeting, principal selection, and teacher recruitment. The principal and the school council did not appear to play a significant role in these decision-making processes. Teachers mainly participated in minor decisions, like recognition programmes and discipline, but hesitated on broader issues due to lack of confidence, fear of repercussions, and cultural deference. Additionally, the involvement of students' parents appeared to be formal and superficial. The study discusses implications for effective SBM in Vietnamese and similar contexts.