Education sector faces unprecedented opportunities

Resolution 71/2025 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in education and training development is an important foundation for comprehensive innovation in education and training.

This morning, September 5, nearly 1.7 million teachers and 30 million students nationwide will attend a special opening ceremony. 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, President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, and other leaders and former leaders of the Party and State are expected to attend the opening ceremony.

Tighten extra teaching and learning

Speaking to reporters of the Lao Dong Newspaper, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that this school year, the education sector is facing unprecedented opportunities. Education and training has never received as much attention and expectation from the Party and the State as it does now. The most important of these is the recent issuance of Resolution 71 by the Politburo on breakthroughs in education and training development. This is an important political foundation to further promote the fundamental and comprehensive innovation of education and training.

Besides opportunities, Minister Nguyen Kim Son also pointed out that the education sector faces many challenges. That is the operation of the two-level local government model, especially at the commune level, which places high demands on managing changes in organization, personnel and apparatus. The issues of educational equity; extra teaching - extra learning; teacher recruitment and rotation; and universalization are also challenges that the sector must resolutely address.

Regarding the issue of managing extra teaching and learning and organizing two sessions per day in the new school year, Minister Nguyen Kim Son said that the Ministry of Education and Training continues to adhere to the viewpoint that "extra learning can bring about the consolidation of knowledge, but brings little value to human development". The profound consequences of the widespread situation of extra teaching and learning require continued drastic rectification. Therefore, in the 2025-2026 school year, the Ministry of Education and Training will continue to direct and urge localities to issue regulations on managing extra teaching and learning to enhance the responsibility of the government, while requiring educational institutions to effectively implement the general education program.

Teachers and students of Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School (Sai ​​Gon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) on the first day of school, preparing for the new school year. Photo: DANG TRINH

Implementing Prime Minister 's Directive 17 on teaching 2 sessions/day, the Ministry of Education and Training has directed schools to develop educational plans that clearly demonstrate the plan to mobilize and use resources for implementation in qualified places. The plan must specify the content, duration, and target students, and at the same time assign teachers appropriately and in accordance with regulations; focus on differentiating subjects, nurturing excellent students, reviewing for final year students, and supporting students who have not met the requirements.

The Minister of Education and Training said that the organization of the second session, including extra classes for 3 subjects as prescribed, was carried out in accordance with Directive 17. The funding for the second session was mainly guaranteed from the state budget under the direction of the Prime Minister. Socialized sources were implemented according to current regulations. In the coming time, the Ministry of Education and Training will coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and localities to develop specific mechanisms and policies on mobilizing funds for the implementation of teaching 2 sessions/day.

According to the Department of Education and Training of Can Tho City, in preparation for the new school year, the department has requested primary schools to ensure facilities, teachers, and equipment to ensure that 100% of primary schools will organize 2 sessions per day. For secondary and high school levels, this will depend on the facilities and teaching staff of each school. However, it is expected that all 9th ​​and 12th grade students will study 2 sessions per day, in order to best prepare for the important transition and graduation exams.

Testing high school graduation exam on computer

Regarding the hot issue of high school graduation exams, according to Minister Nguyen Kim Son, to prepare for the pilot high school graduation exam on computers from 2027, under the direction of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Education and Training is focusing on implementing a number of key tasks, such as developing a project to organize high school graduation exams on computers, to be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval in 2026.

The Ministry of Education and Training will mobilize experts to build a standardized question bank (expected to be applied from 2027) and develop procedures and regulations for organizing computer-based exams, organize training and seminars nationwide; continue to coordinate with the Government Cipher Committee in transferring and receiving exam questions and other security steps related to the exam.

The Ministry of Education and Training is preparing software systems to organize computer-based exams and testing computer-based exams in localities. It is expected that this school year, the ministry will test them for more than 100,000 students.

According to the Minister of Education and Training, the organization of the high school graduation exam for graduation recognition currently has very specific goals. Firstly, to assess the level of learners according to the requirements for developing qualities and capacities of the general education program, and to use the exam results to consider high school graduation recognition. Secondly, the exam results are used as one of the bases for assessing the teaching quality of general education institutions and the direction of educational management agencies. Thirdly, to provide reliable data for universities and vocational education institutions to use in enrollment.

At present, this is the only national exam for all students to assess the general output of high school, with a common assessment scale nationwide. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the organization to assess the level of general education standards, providing national data for research, construction, and adjustment of general education policies. At the same time, it is necessary to assess the quality of education in regions across the country. The exam results are the output of high school, a source of reference information for universities and vocational training institutions to organize enrollment.

Many policies to attract and support teachers

Regarding the recruitment, regime and policies for teachers, the head of the Ministry of Education and Training said that immediately after the National Assembly passed the Law on Teachers, the Ministry proactively developed a system of documents guiding its implementation. In particular, regarding the recruitment of teachers, the Ministry of Education and Training is developing a circular with the direction of assigning the Department of Education and Training to preside over the implementation or advising the provincial People's Committee to decentralize and delegate authority in accordance with local realities. In addition, the Ministry of Education and Training is developing a decree detailing a number of articles of the Law on Teachers, including regulations on the content and form of teacher recruitment.

The Ministry of Education and Training is finalizing a draft of detailed regulations on salaries, allowances, and policies to attract and support teachers. Accordingly, it is expected that the basic salary of all teachers will increase, by at least about 2 million VND, and at most up to 5-7 million VND/person/month. This increase is only calculated on the basic salary, not including other allowances.

Regarding the fact that many localities still lack teachers, the Ministry of Education and Training said that it has been implementing many solutions. The Ministry also requested that localities proactively recruit enough assigned staff, have policies to attract and support teachers, and arrange funding to implement teacher contracts according to regulations.

President sends letter to education sector

On September 4, President Luong Cuong sent a letter to the education sector on the occasion of the opening of the 2025-2026 school year.

In the letter, the President stated: "... I hope the education sector will focus on implementing the school year's theme: "Discipline - Creativity - Breakthrough - Development", continuing to aim for the goal of forming and comprehensively developing people in terms of knowledge, ethics, skills, courage and aspirations, meeting the requirements of rapid and sustainable development of the country in the new era of development - the era of the Vietnamese people's rise".

On the eve of the new school year, the President believes that students will continue to nurture their dreams, constantly study and practice, becoming patriotic, responsible, creative, compassionate citizens with great aspirations to build an increasingly prosperous and happy country.

"I hope that teachers, administrators, and workers in the education sector will always maintain the flame of passion and love for the profession, constantly innovate, create, and build a happy learning environment for students," the President said.

D. Trinh

Tuition support for private school students

The Prime Minister has just signed and issued Decree 238/2025, regulating policies on tuition fees, exemptions, reductions, tuition support, support for learning costs and service prices in the field of education and training.

Accordingly, from the 2025-2026 school year, tuition fees will be exempted for preschool children, primary school students, and students studying general education programs at public educational institutions. Tuition fees will be supported for preschool children, primary school students, and students studying general education programs at private educational institutions.

The level of support is determined by the Provincial People's Council, but does not exceed the tuition fee of private educational institutions.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/nganh-giao-duc-dung-truoc-co-hoi-chua-tung-co-196250904222002278.htm