While gender discrimination was severe in Vietnam in the distant past, it has been significantly mitigated since
independence. Girls and women have been treated on a more equal basis and have achieved much more success
than what they had in the past and in relation with boys and men. An analysis of the available data will allow us to
show that there has been an increase in the number of female students at the different levels of education. However,
the findings from a research conducted in rural areas shows that girls still suffer from more pressure and face more
challenges in education than boys, and tend to be sacrificed when the family has to make a choice. The proposed
article is based on a research conducted from 2013 to 2015, in five provinces located in three main areas: the North,
Centre, and South of Vietnam. Financed by the National Foundation for Science and Technology Development
(NAFOSTED) and statistical data of other studies, the educational strategies of rural households were investigated
through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with parents of children enrolled in primary and secondary
school.