Under the 2018 General Education Curriculum, which is aimed at developing students’ qualities and competencies, local education plays an important role in connecting educational activities with local contexts and real-life situations. However, the organization and management of these activities in lower secondary schools remain limited. Based on a systematic literature review combined with qualitative content analysis of both domestic and international studies, research trends in the management of local educational activities as educational reforms were synthesized, compared, and clarified. The findings reveal that most existing studies focus on curriculum content and the organization of experiential learning activities, whereas research on local educational activity management remains insufficiently systematized and has not adequately explained the relationship among management functions, local contexts, and students’ competency development. Based on the review results, research gaps related to the management of local educational activities at the lower secondary school level were identified. Accordingly, a systematic and integrated management approach is proposed to enhance the effectiveness of implementing local education in Vietnam.