Welcome to the new school year 2025-2026: Leading national development through education

'Leading national development through education; taking quality - equity - integration - efficiency as measures; ensuring equal access to education, improving the intellectual level of the people...', General Secretary To Lam advised.

Students of Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School, Tang Nhon Phu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City on the opening day - Photo: QUANG DINH

On the morning of September 5, about 26 million students and 1.6 million teachers nationwide started the new school year 2025-2026. At the opening ceremony and the 80th anniversary of the education sector's tradition organized by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), General Secretary To Lam delivered a speech and sent a message to students and trainees nationwide.

Shift from reform and correction to creative thinking - leading national development through education ; taking quality - equity - integration - efficiency as measures; tightening enforcement discipline.

General Secretary TO LAM

New victory with knowledge - courage - creativity

"The previous generation achieved victory with blood and bones. Today, in peace, integration and aspirations to rise up, the responsibility of the younger generation is to achieve new victories with knowledge - courage - creativity," General Secretary To Lam advised.

The General Secretary said that today's young generation must set clear goals in practicing self-discipline in self-study and nurturing a passion for discovery. Students and trainees across the country should uphold tradition, seize new opportunities to improve their capacity, master digital technology and artificial intelligence in a smart, safe, humane way, knowing how to love, share, and live responsibly for themselves, their families and the community.

The General Secretary asked young students to practice well the five teachings of Uncle Ho. High school students should cultivate their personality, civic awareness, enrich their knowledge, and nurture their aspirations. Students need to have great ambitions, dare to think and dare to do, be at the forefront of science and technology, innovation, etc.

General Secretary To Lam beats the drum to open the new school year 2025-2026 - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

Speaking to more than 1.7 million cadres and teachers nationwide, the General Secretary said that in order to continue to do well in the task of "cultivating people" in the new context, teachers must set an example and innovate teaching methods to guide students. Teachers must be pioneers in digital transformation, using technology, especially artificial intelligence, to guide students in application.

"Shift from "corrective" reform to creative thinking - leading national development through education; taking quality - equity - integration - efficiency as measures; tightening enforcement discipline", General Secretary To Lam emphasized in his speech at the ceremony to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the education sector's tradition and the opening of the 2025-2026 school year.

Towards a fair and humane approach to education

According to Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son, the education sector and teachers and students nationwide are facing great opportunities.

The recent issuance of Resolution 71 by the Politburo on breakthroughs in education and training development is an important political foundation to further promote the fundamental and comprehensive innovation of education and training, which has been established in Resolution 29 and continued to be emphasized in Conclusion 91 of 2024.

With Resolution 71, educators expect more attention from the Party and State in mobilizing all resources to develop education and training.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son speaks at the ceremony to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the education sector's tradition and the opening of the 2025-2026 school year - Photo: NGUYEN KHANH

The 2025-2026 school year is the time when the Law on Teachers comes into effect. There will be significant changes in salary, allowances, recognition of teachers' work and contributions, changes in recruitment, employment, and creating an environment for teachers to work creatively.

The 2025-2026 school year begins right after the reorganization of the two-level government apparatus. Although there are many new difficulties, the leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training believe that this is also an opportunity to streamline, rationalize, and effectively organize the education management apparatus. In which, the role of schools and principals of kindergartens and general schools is enhanced in terms of autonomy, self-responsibility, flexibility, and creativity.

No child is left behind. Prioritizing remote areas, border areas, islands, and disadvantaged areas; increasing investment in schools - school nutrition - teachers - digital infrastructure. Exempting tuition fees for all students from preschool to high school. Supporting the provision of free lunch for children studying two sessions a day in some localities... are practical contents towards equitable and humane access to education that the education and training sector has been and is continuing to implement this school year.

In particular, a policy of the Politburo that has received consensus and support from the education sector and society is to invest in building inter-level boarding schools in 248 land border communes. In the immediate future, the pilot investment will complete the construction or renovation of 100 schools in 2025, to be completed by the time the next school year starts at the latest.

Students enjoy visiting Ho Chi Minh's cultural space combining tradition and modernity at Tran Huy Lieu Secondary School, Duc Nhuan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: TRI DUC

* Meritorious teacher NGUYEN KIM HONG (former principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Education):

Joyful with universal primary education

On the morning of September 5, I sat in front of the small screen watching the live broadcast of the 80th anniversary of the education sector and the opening of the new school year. General Secretary To Lam spoke at the ceremony. In the middle of his speech, the General Secretary stopped and said: "We must strive to universalize general education as soon as possible. This requirement is very urgent. And we also have enough conditions to universalize general education...".

I am delighted by the call for the education sector in our country to universalize primary education as soon as possible. In our generation, only about 10-15% of children of high school age go to school.

Up to now, we have only over 50% of high school children going to school. The wish that all children of high school age can go to school is not only their dream but also the dream of all Vietnamese people.

Resolution 71 has just been issued, showing the Party's determination that by 2030, the rate of high school graduates at the right age will be 80% - that is a great determination of the Party. Striving by 2045 - Vietnam's education must become one of the top 20 countries in the world is an extremely large, if not great, criterion.

Starting the school year with many innovations

After the special opening ceremony, on September 5, many schools in Ho Chi Minh City said they would start a new school year with many innovations. At Tran Hung Dao Primary School, Cau Ong Lanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, educational activities on digital transformation and students' confidence and responsibility will be promoted this school year.

"After the opening ceremony of the new school year with strong inspiration from the leaders of the Party and State and absorbing the spirit of Resolution 71, the school continues to consistently implement the viewpoint of taking students as the center in teaching and learning.

The school will closely coordinate between families, schools and society to implement teaching and education programs for students so that every day at school is a happy day for students" - Ms. Le Thanh Huong, the school principal, shared.

Welcoming ceremony for first grade students at Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School, Hiep Phu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City on the opening day of the new school year on the morning of September 5 - Photo: QUANG DINH

The Board of Directors of Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School (HCMC) also identified the 2025-2026 school year as a special year with many innovations. Accordingly, in the context of innovation in the education sector of Ho Chi Minh City and the whole country in general, Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School takes the theme of the school year as "Nguyen Binh Khiem - Where dreams take flight, creativity is inspired in the digital age" associated with the goal of successfully building a digital school on the basis of the model "Green school, green dream" set by the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Ms. Do Ngoc Chi - Principal of Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School, if Nguyen Binh Khiem is likened to a brilliant garden, then each student of the school is a seed of the future. With the above school year theme, the school will teach in the spirit of awakening the creative source of each student.

The school will have many educational activities in addition to implementing the program, closely coordinating with family and society to promote the spirit of self-study and creativity of each student.

"In this school year, the knowledge opened to students comes not only from teachers and books but also from the creative learning space that the school has worked hard to build. The school has just inaugurated a digital citizenship skills classroom, creating conditions for students to improve their digital skills, become future digital citizens, and confidently integrate into the world.

"The digital library opens with abundant and rich resources carefully prepared by teachers, which will be a place for students to actively explore, conquer knowledge, and nurture their dreams," emphasized Ms. Do Ngoc Chi.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/chao-mung-nam-hoc-moi-2025-2026-dan-dat-phat-trien-quoc-gia-bang-giao-duc-20250905230717079.htm