The Nationalist Movement in Indo-China

(i) French Schools : French missionaries arrived in Vietnam in the 17th century, so  they systematically dismantled the traditional educational system and established French schools for the Vietnamese.
(ii) Replacing Chinese and local languages : The elites in Vietnam were powerfully influenced by Chinese culture and language. To consolidate their power, the French had to counter this Chinese influence. So they decided to replace the Chinese and local languages by French.
(iii) New text books : To control the educational system textbooks were rewritten. School textbooks glorified the French and justified colonial rule. The Vietnamese were represented as primitive and backward, capable of manual labour but not of intellectual reflection; they could work in the fields but not rule themselves; they were ‘skilled copyists’ but not creative.
(iv) The Tonkin Free Schools : These schools were started in 1907 to provide a Western style education. This education included classes in science, hygiene and French (these classes were held in the evening and had to be paid for separately).
Motives :
(i) To consolidate their power : The French were faced with yet another problem in the sphere of education: the elites in Vietnam were powerfully influenced by Chinese culture. To consolidate their power, the French had to counter this Chinese influence. So they systematically dismantled the traditional educational system and established French schools for the Vietnamese.
(ii) Educated labour for administration :
The French needed an educated local labour force.
(iv) To demonstrate superiority of French culture : Many scholars believed that by learning the language, the Vietnamese would be introduced to the culture and civilisation of France. This would help create an ‘Asiatic France solidly tied to European France’. The educated people in Vietnam would respect French sentiments and ideals, see the superiority of French culture, and work for the French.