Special opening ceremony of nearly 26 million students nationwide

This morning (September 5), at the National Convention Center (Hanoi), the Ministry of Education and Training held a ceremony to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the education sector and the opening of the 2025-2026 school year. This is the first time that all educational institutions nationwide will salute the flag and sing the national anthem at the same time during the opening ceremony of the new school year.

General Secretary To Lam delivered a speech at the ceremony to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the education sector's tradition and the opening of the 2025-2026 school year. (Source: Ministry of Education and Training )

The ceremony to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Education sector's tradition and the opening of the 2025-2026 school year took place from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m., broadcast live on VTV1 (Vietnam Television) , connected online to all educational and training institutions nationwide with the participation of about 1.6 million teachers and nearly 26 million students nationwide.

All 52,000 schools are online, opening a new school year full of determination and challenges. This is the first time that all educational institutions nationwide will raise the flag and sing the national anthem at the same time during the opening ceremony of the new school year.

This is a rare event in the history of Vietnamese education when all universities and vocational education institutions, from public to non-public, will simultaneously hold opening ceremonies on the same day as preschool and general education levels, combining live in Hanoi and online to educational institutions.

Teachers and students are happy on the first day of the new school year. (Photo: Luu Nguyen)

Attending the opening ceremony of the 2025-2026 school year was comrade To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Comrade Luong Cuong, Politburo member, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Comrade Pham Minh Chinh, Politburo member, Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Comrade Tran Thanh Man, Politburo member, Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Comrade Tran Cam Tu - Member of the Politburo, Permanent Secretary of the Central Party Secretariat.

Comrade Do Van Chien, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

Also attending the ceremony were Politburo members, Party Central Committee Secretaries, Party Central Committee Executive Committee members, representatives of Central Committees, Ministries, Central agencies and organizations, local leaders attending at the connecting points, embassies representing countries and international organizations in Vietnam.

Delegates from the education sector included comrade Nguyen Kim Son, member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Education and Training; former leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training, units under the Ministry of Education and Training through different periods, directors and principals of educational and training institutions across the country.

General Secretary To Lam and delegates attended the opening ceremony of the 2025-2026 school year and the 80th anniversary of the education sector's tradition. (Source: Ministry of Education and Training)

President Luong Cuong and delegates attended the opening ceremony of the 2025-2026 school year and the 80th anniversary of the education sector. (Source: Ministry of Education and Training)

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates attended the opening ceremony of the 2025-2026 school year and the 80th anniversary of the education sector. (Source: Ministry of Education and Training)

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and delegates attended the opening ceremony of the 2025-2026 school year and the 80th anniversary of the education sector. (Source: Ministry of Education and Training)

On this occasion, to recognize the outstanding achievements of the Ministry of Education and Training in state management of education and training, the President decided to award the First Class Labor Medal to the Ministry of Education and Training.

The achievements of the education sector are enormous and proud.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son emphasized: This year's opening ceremony was held with special attention from the Party and the entire people to the education and training sector.

The Politburo has just issued Resolution 71 on breakthroughs in education and training development; the National Assembly has a Resolution on universalizing preschool education for children from 3 to 5 years old; preschool and primary school students are exempted from and supported with tuition fees; 248 boarding schools in border communes are under construction; many subjects are supported with lunch; general schools organize two sessions a day; many new policies with breakthroughs in developing the teaching staff are codified in the Law on Teachers and many other new policies. Today's opening ceremony and celebration is more than an event or ceremony, this is a special educational activity with great meaning.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son speaks at the opening ceremony of the new school year 2025-2026. (Photo: Xuan Phu)

Over the past 80 years, through many heroic historical periods, under the leadership, ideological orientation and educational guidelines of the Party, the entire sector has gradually built and perfected educational policies and institutions; perfected the national education system; created educational facilities and infrastructure, and gradually developed a team of teachers, scientists, and educational managers;

Developing educational science, teaching and learning methods, testing and evaluation; building a system of textbooks, curricula and learning materials; developing educational management models, promoting international cooperation. Education and training over the past 80 years have developed in the direction of both inheriting traditions and integrating internationally, creating Vietnam's own identity and values.

Teacher Phuong Quyen and students of Kim Giang Primary School (Hanoi) at the opening ceremony of the new school year. (Photo: Nguyet Anh)

Over the past 80 years, like a miracle, from a country with 95% of its population being illiterate, the intellectual class as sparse as autumn leaves, the number of higher education schools counted on the fingers, and going through decades of war, with many hardships and difficulties... today, the whole country has completed universal education from 5-year-old kindergarten to the end of junior high school. The quality of general education has been gradually improved.

Vietnam is internationally recognized as one of the countries with the best general education in the world. For many years, Vietnam has been in the top 10 countries with the best results in Olympic competitions around the world. Although not all schools are of high stature or quality, there are some sectors and higher education institutions in the top 500 best schools in the world, training in most fields and professions that the world has, contributing 75% of the country's scientific research products and inventions...

Students at the opening ceremony. (Photo: Nguyet Anh)

Compared to the world's leading advanced education systems, the education sector still has a lot to strive for and do better... But with such a starting point, such circumstances, such conditions and costs, what the whole country and the education sector have done in the past 80 years is truly a great and very proud achievement, if not a miracle.

Looking back over the past 80 years of development, there are no words to express the gratitude of the Education sector for the attention and leadership of the Party, the State, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, organizations, agencies, departments, ministries and branches. There are no numbers to count the gratitude for the attention, care, investment and support of the whole society, the help of friends from all over the world, and international organizations for education and training in Vietnam.

"80 years, no stele can fully record the sacrifices, dedication, efforts, intelligence and affection of millions of teachers for generations of students. This merit and gratitude can only be engraved in eternal time and in the memories of millions and millions of students...", Minister Nguyen Kim Son emphasized.

Education and training maintain their position as the top national policy.

General Secretary To Lam speaks at the ceremony to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the education sector's tradition and open the new school year 2025-2026 on the morning of September 5. (Source: VGP)

Speaking at the ceremony, General Secretary To Lam, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, sent warm greetings and best wishes to teachers, education managers, students across the country. He wished the education sector continued to make breakthroughs, worthy of the tradition of studiousness, respect for morality and the aspiration to rise up of the heroic Vietnamese people.

Reviewing the 80-year history of Vietnam's revolutionary education with proud results as well as limitations, weaknesses and shortcomings, the General Secretary emphasized: Our country is entering a new stage of development with the goal of becoming a modern industrial country by 2030 and a developed, high-income country by 2045. In the context of globalization, knowledge economy, science, technology and digital transformation developing strongly, education and training must maintain its position as a top national policy and become a key driving force for national development.

Recently, the Politburo issued Resolution 71 on breakthroughs in education and training development. This month, the Secretariat will hold a national conference to disseminate and implement this resolution. This is one of the resolutions of utmost importance, with a strategic vision with large, specific goals, with strong breakthrough tasks and solutions, bringing Vietnamese education and training into the flow of world education to quickly bring the resolution into life.

The General Secretary suggested that the entire Party must strongly innovate its leadership thinking on education, not impose old standards on a modern education system, but rather direct, review substantially, organize and implement resolutely, effectively, and consistently, considering education as the top national policy.

The National Assembly needs to continue to improve the legal system, creating a smooth, stable and progressive legal corridor for the cause of education and training innovation. The Government should increase investment, ensure financial resources, facilities and staff, and resolutely remove bottlenecks in mechanisms and policies to unblock and mobilize all social resources for education.

The Fatherland Front, unions and social organizations need to promote the strength of great solidarity, encourage and spread the movement of the whole people to care for the cause of educating people. The education sector needs to pioneer innovation in thinking, management methods, and build a team of teachers who are both knowledgeable, ethical and have the desire to contribute. Teachers must be shining examples and a source of inspiration for students. Students must nurture great ambitions and aspirations, study and practice to become global citizens, gradually integrating into international standards but always preserving Vietnamese identity and soul.

In his speech, the General Secretary also emphasized a number of major orientations to successfully implement the cause of innovation in education and training in the new period. In particular, strongly innovate thinking and action, shift from reform and editing to creative thinking, leading and developing the nation through education, taking quality, fairness, integration and efficiency as measures, and tightening enforcement discipline. Must ensure equal access to education, improve the intellectual level of the people, not leaving any child behind. Innovate general education in a comprehensive direction. Create breakthroughs in higher education and vocational education. Promote international integration in education. Take care of the team of teachers and education managers. Promote digital transformation and artificial intelligence in education, turn technology into a driving force for fundamental and comprehensive transformation and innovation. Prioritize investment in education. Build a learning society, lifelong learning.

Addressing students, teachers, and educational administrators nationwide, the General Secretary affirmed: Our Party always considers education and training as the top national policy, the key driving force that determines the future of the nation. More than ever, we must consider investment in education as investment in the future, for the sustainable and powerful development of the country.

The General Secretary calls on the entire Party, the entire people, the entire army, all levels, sectors, localities, each family and each citizen to join hands to care for the cause of educating people, the future of our children, for the prosperity of the Fatherland, for the happiness of the people.

With a tradition of studiousness, a team of dedicated teachers, the efforts of students nationwide, and the attention of the whole society, the General Secretary believes that our country's education sector will continue to overcome difficulties, reap many great achievements, and contribute to realizing the aspiration of building a strong and prosperous Vietnam.

Command from the heart of every young Vietnamese person

Student Kieu Tuan Dinh, class 67, majoring in Semiconductors, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, representing all students nationwide, spoke:

"Today, in the atmosphere of the whole country celebrating the 80th anniversary of the successful August Revolution and National Day September 2, the 80th anniversary of the Education Sector's Tradition Day and the opening of the new school year 2025 - 2026, I, like tens of millions of young people across the country, am excited, elated, extremely proud and moved to attend this important event.

I deeply understand that, in order to have today, when we have favorable conditions and open opportunities, over the past months, many generations have devoted themselves to working, fighting and sacrificing.

Over the past 80 years, our nation has gone from a colony to an independent nation, from division to unification, from isolation to becoming a comprehensive strategic partner of powerful countries; those 80 years are an epic poem written with sweat, blood and tears, so that today we can welcome the new school year in peace, independence and freedom.

Student Kieu Tuan Dinh, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, represented all students nationwide to speak. (Source: Ministry of Education and Training)

We express our infinite gratitude to our ancestors, teachers and brothers and sisters who have contributed to building Vietnam as it is today. We understand this great mission and realize that the future of the country depends greatly on the level of science, technology and innovation. National development is closely linked to digital technology, in which small semiconductor chips or AI commands are the foundation of the present and future world.

I see that studying and practicing knowledge, professional skills, creative thinking and the ability to solve technological problems are not only requirements for students studying engineering technology to work after graduation, but also a requirement and command from the heart of every young Vietnamese person.

In the coming time, when our generation steps out into the "big sea" of the world, we know that, with the uncompromising competition in the fields of technology, engineering and world trade. We will face new and equally fierce challenges, and to win, we need not only will and determination, but also intelligence and new capabilities according to the demands of the times.

Looking throughout history and the lessons of our ancestors, we will rely firmly on the cultural traditions, the identity, and the humanistic spirit of the Vietnamese people. We will be humble, honest, and brave in learning from the world, to face and overcome new challenges with the spirit of "I am Vietnamese".

I hope that high school students will soon choose a direction for their future that is in line with the country's development orientation and that we all grow up with the country, promoting the country's development, so that today's leaders and the previous generation can rest assured."

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/le-khai-giang-dac-biet-cua-gan-26-trieu-hoc-sinh-sinh-vien-ca-nuoc-326728.html