General Secretary: Shift from 'corrective' reform to creative thinking, leading national development through education

General Secretary To Lam emphasized the above content when giving a speech at the ceremony to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the tradition of the education sector and the opening of the 2025-2026 school year on the morning of September 5.

Reviewing the 80-year history of Vietnam's revolutionary education with proud results as well as limitations, weaknesses and shortcomings, the General Secretary stated that 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 also hold a national conference to disseminate and implement this resolution.

This is one of the resolutions of utmost importance, carrying a strategic vision with large, specific goals, with strong breakthrough tasks and solutions, bringing Vietnamese education and training into the flow of world education," the General Secretary emphasized.

To quickly put the resolution into practice, the General Secretary suggested that the entire Party must strongly innovate its leadership thinking on education, not impose old standards on modern education, but need to closely and substantially direct, organize implementation resolutely, effectively, and consistently consider 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; at the same time, 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 entire people to care for the cause of educating people.

" The education sector needs to be a pioneer in innovating thinking, methods, and management; building a team of teachers who are both knowledgeable, ethical, and have a 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 maintaining Vietnamese identity and soul, " said the General Secretary.

To successfully carry out the cause of education and training innovation in the new period, the General Secretary emphasized a number of major orientations.

First, according to the General Secretary, it is necessary to strongly innovate thinking and action, shifting from "corrective" reform to creative thinking, leading national development through education; taking quality - fairness - integration - efficiency as measures; tightening enforcement discipline.

In addition, it is necessary to ensure equal access to education, improve the intellectual level of the people; not to leave any child behind; prioritize remote, border, island and disadvantaged areas; increase investment in schools - school nutrition - teachers - digital infrastructure.

The General Secretary noted the need to reform general education in a comprehensive manner, not only imparting knowledge, but also nurturing personality, training the body, nurturing the soul, arousing civic spirit, sense of discipline and social responsibility; forming a generation of people who are "both talented, compassionate and resilient".

" For this goal, I suggest we strive to universalize high school education as soon as possible. This requirement is very urgent. We have all the conditions to be able to do it. The State has already taken care of the tuition fee concerns.

What should we do to reduce the pressure of the students and teachers taking the transfer exam from secondary to high school like now? If we universalize high school education, we will 'solve' this problem. The Ministry of Education and Training reported to me that now the only difficulty is schools and teachers. We can absolutely do those things ," the General Secretary emphasized.

According to the General Secretary, students really want to continue going to school. If high school education is not universalized, 13-14 year olds will face many difficulties when entering life.

Regarding higher education, the General Secretary requested to create breakthroughs in higher education and vocational education, to make universities become centers for knowledge and technology production, the nucleus of innovation - startups; closely linking training - research - transfer with the country's development needs.

It is necessary to form large universities of regional and international stature, modern vocational training facilities, to train high-quality human resources, contributing to the country's breakthrough in science - technology, industrialization and digital transformation.

Regarding international integration, the General Secretary affirmed that integration is to learn from the best, narrow the gap, spread standards, and encourage joint training, program linkage, credit recognition, exchange of lecturers and students, and attract international scholars, thereby enhancing the position of Vietnamese education.

The General Secretary also clearly stated the need to take care of building a team of teachers and educational managers.

" Teachers are the soul of education, the decisive factor in the success or failure of innovation. Teachers not only impart knowledge, but also sow aspirations, nurture personality, and light up beliefs in students. The Law on Teachers passed by the National Assembly is the foundation to ensure improvement in material life, rights, and legitimate interests, while improving professional standards, ethics, responsibilities, and social status of teachers ," said the General Secretary.

According to the General Secretary, it is necessary to promote digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) in education; turn technology into a driving force for fundamental and comprehensive innovation: flexible teaching and learning, open learning materials, safe and humane digital platforms; improve digital capacity for teachers and students; ensure data security and safety.

In particular, the General Secretary noted the building of a learning society and lifelong learning.

" In the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, knowledge changes every day, every hour; what is advanced today may be outdated tomorrow. Therefore, learning is not only a personal need, but must first be seen as a political responsibility, a permanent revolutionary action of every citizen.

At any age, field or profession, we must learn to avoid falling behind, learn to master knowledge and technology, learn to develop ourselves and contribute to building a strong and prosperous country, " the General Secretary emphasized.

General Secretary To Lam beats the drum to open the new school year 2025-2026.

On the occasion of the opening of the school year, the General Secretary advised students that the previous generation had 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 and creativity.

The General Secretary hopes that the young generation will set clear goals; practice self-discipline in self-study; nurture a passion for discovery; improve capacity, master digital technology and artificial intelligence in a smart, safe and humane way; know how to love, share, and live responsibly for themselves, their families and the community.

" Every step you take is the future of the country. Young students should practice the five teachings of Uncle Ho well. High school students need to cultivate their personality, civic awareness, enrich their knowledge and nurture their aspirations. Students should have great ambitions, dare to think, dare to do, be at the forefront of science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, green economy and international integration, study and practice to become useful workers for their families and society, " said the General Secretary.

Regarding teachers and education managers, the General Secretary assessed that this is a team that is quiet, persistent, sacrificing, and making great contributions to the cause of "growing people".

Expressing deep gratitude and sincere thanks to generations of teachers, the General Secretary hoped that teachers would continue to set an example, innovate methods, lead students on the path of knowledge and personality; pioneer digital transformation, guide students to use technology (especially artificial intelligence) creatively, effectively, safely and humanely; actively participate in contributing policies, improving quality and equity in education.

The General Secretary affirmed that 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, in the sustainable and powerful development of the country.

The General Secretary called 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 the education sector will continue to overcome difficulties, reap many great achievements, and contribute to realizing the aspiration of building a strong and prosperous Vietnam.

English

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/tong-bi-thu-chuyen-tu-cai-cach-chinh-sua-sang-tu-duy-kien-tao-dan-dat-phat-trien-quoc-gia-bang-giao-duc-ar963727.html