Students of Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School, Hiep Phu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, on the opening day of the school year, September 5th - Photo: QUANG DINH
Unlike previous years, the opening ceremony of the 2025-2026 school year also commemorated the 80th anniversary of the education sector's tradition. The ceremony took place at the National Convention Center (Hanoi), was broadcast live on VTV1 - Vietnam Television, and connected online with all educational institutions nationwide from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM.
Prior to the opening ceremony, many schools across the country organized diverse and meaningful activities for teachers and students, solemnly welcoming students in grades 1, 6, and 10 at all levels, and honoring students with outstanding achievements…
Ho Chi Minh City: "Students must master themselves first, then master technology."
In Ho Chi Minh City, schools organized welcoming ceremonies for new students very early to be ready to broadcast the National Ministry of Education's founding anniversary celebration starting at 8 am. At Tran Phu High School in Phu Tho Hoa ward, Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, attended the event.
Originally established as the second branch of Nguyen Thuong Hien High School in the 1980-1981 school year, Tran Phu High School is now one of the top public high schools in the city. After numerous renovations and constructions, Tran Phu High School now boasts a spacious and modern facility for 2,000 students.
Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc attends the opening ceremony at Tran Phu High School (Phu Tho Hoa ward) - Photo: THANH HIEP
At the opening ceremony of Tan Phu Primary, Secondary, and High School in Tan Phu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Bui Xuan Cuong, City Party Committee member and Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, was in attendance. This school is considered relatively new (established in 2007) in Ho Chi Minh City but has quickly adapted to the process of reform and integration.
With the goal of building a happy school with a creative learning ecosystem, the school not only focuses on academics but also strengthens the teaching of foreign languages, computer science, sports , arts, etc., ensuring "outcomes" meet international standards. In particular, in the life skills subject, students at Tan Phu School learn and practice self-leadership skills. According to Mr. Ngo Vinh Truong, the school principal: "Students must master themselves first, only then can they master technology and master their future"...
Students of Chu Van An Primary School, Hanoi, on the first day of school - Photo: NAM TRAN
Schools in the Spratly Islands Special Administrative Region begin the new school year.
The Truong Sa Special Zone has four primary schools: Truong Sa Primary School, Song Tu Tay Primary School, Sinh Ton Primary School, and Da Tay Primary School.
Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online, Mr. Pham Thanh Liem, Chairman of the People's Committee of the Truong Sa Special Zone, said that in recent days, officials, soldiers, and residents have organized cleaning of school buildings, rearranged classrooms, and decorated for the occasion. The special zone's government also held a meeting to encourage teachers working on the island, creating the best possible conditions for them to focus on teaching.
"Given its unique characteristics, we have equipped the students with everything from learning tools, books, and materials to even clothing, which we brought from the mainland. We are confident that in the 2025-2026 school year, teachers and students in the special zone will achieve many high accomplishments," Mr. Liem said.
Mr. Bui Tien Anh, a teacher at Song Tu Tay Primary School, shared that during his leave on the mainland, he took the opportunity to prepare lesson plans and update his knowledge for the new school year. "We consider our students as our own children and grandchildren, so we always try our best to impart knowledge to them," he said.
Mr. Ha Van Thong, head of the Preschool and Primary Education Department (Khanh Hoa Provincial Department of Education and Training), further informed that at the beginning of August every year, the department fully prepares everything for teachers and students in the Truong Sa Special Zone. During the summer, the Department of Education and Training works directly with the leaders of the Truong Sa Special Zone to understand their thoughts and aspirations, and then develops timely solutions.
Military personnel, along with students and teachers, attend the opening ceremony of the new school year at Da Tay Primary School in the Truong Sa Special Zone - Photo: NGOC ANH
Teachers adjust students' uniforms in the Truong Sa Special Zone (Khanh Hoa province) during the first lesson of the new school year - Photo: NGOC ANH
Opening ceremony at a school devastated by a storm.
On the morning of September 5th, Son Loc Secondary School (Xuan Loc commune, Ha Tinh province) held its opening ceremony after a period of efforts to overcome the impact of typhoon number 5.
Typhoon No. 5 made landfall in Ha Tinh province, causing severe damage to the local infrastructure. In the education sector alone, 286 facilities across the province were damaged by the typhoon, with many schools having their roofs blown off, classrooms collapsing, flooding, and damaged desks, chairs, and equipment. The estimated damage is nearly 136 billion VND.
Among the affected educational facilities, Son Loc Junior High School (Xuan Loc commune, Ha Tinh province) suffered particularly severe damage. At this school, 13 classrooms, functional rooms, equipment rooms, and the library had their roofs completely blown off, brick walls were destroyed by the storm, and many computers, teaching equipment, and books were damaged.
Mr. Hoang The Anh, the school principal, said: "To be ready for the new school year, the school is temporarily using the main classroom for practical lessons, even though this is very inconvenient for both teachers and students. In the long term, the school hopes to have a new building to house the practical rooms, and also to receive support with equipment to serve the teaching and learning needs of the students."
On the morning of September 5th, students of Son Loc Secondary School attended the opening ceremony next to the buildings damaged by Typhoon No. 5 - Photo: LE MINH
Students in border and mountainous regions wake up early to attend the opening ceremony of the school year.
From 6 a.m., students dressed neatly and arrived at Tak Po school in Tra Tap commune, Da Nang city, a school that once "went viral" on social media with its simple and unpretentious opening ceremony in 2019.
The school is situated on a hilltop overlooking a green meadow, beneath the lush green canopy of palm trees. Students arrive at the school while clouds still hang over the mountainside, each holding a bright red national flag, eagerly awaiting the opening ceremony.
Ms. Tra Thi Thu, a teacher at Chu Van An Ethnic Boarding Primary School, said that the Tak Po school branch has two classes: a preschool class taught by two teachers from Phong Lan Kindergarten with 22 children, and a primary school class taught by Ms. Thu with 16 students. This morning, a simple, unpretentious, and pure opening ceremony was organized by the teachers for 38 children in this peaceful highland area.
Ms. Tra Thi Thu and her students at Tak Po school before the opening ceremony - Photo: LE TRUNG
Students at Tak Po school await the opening ceremony - Photo: LE TRUNG
At Vo Thi Sau Secondary School (Buon Don commune, Dak Lak province), students were also present in large numbers from early on. This is the only school in the province located near the border, and it also serves as a direct connection point to the National Convention Center.
According to Mr. Thai Van Loc, the school principal, this direct connection is an opportunity for students in remote and border areas to participate in a very special and memorable opening ceremony. "This is also an opportunity for the school to convey its thoughts and aspirations to the leaders of the Ministry and the Government," he shared.
Students at Vo Thi Sau Secondary School in Buon Don border commune, Dak Lak province, prepare for the opening ceremony - Photo: Trung Tan
The weather in Buon Don commune, Dak Lak province is quite hot and humid; a young student uses a hand fan to fan her teacher - Photo: MINH PHUONG
Students in the southernmost part of the country travel by boat to attend the opening ceremony of the school year.
This morning, the opening ceremony for the new school year took place at Primary School No. 1 in Dat Mui commune, Ca Mau province, known as the southernmost point of Vietnam.
Dat Mui commune has approximately 3,300 students across 7 school locations. This new school year, although many areas now have rural roads, several hundred students still have to travel to school by waterway. Those whose homes are along the main routes travel by ferry, while students on smaller branch roads are transported to school by their parents using small boats and then picked up afterwards.
Phan Gia Huy, a student in class 3D at Primary School 1 in Dat Mui commune, said he wakes up at 5 am to travel about 7 km by waterway to school. His father, Nguyen Van Teo, shared that he spends about 300,000 VND each day on gasoline, food, and transporting his two children.
Many students in Ca Mau have to wake up at 5 am and go to school by boat or small motorboat belonging to their families... - Photo: THANH HUYEN
From 6:30 a.m. on September 5th, the atmosphere at An Son Secondary School in the Nam Du archipelago, Kien Hai special zone, An Giang province, was already bustling with activity for the opening day of the school year. Ms. Nguyen Thi Huynh Tam, the acting principal of the school, said that before the opening ceremony, the school had renovated classrooms and cleaned up the school grounds to make them clean and beautiful.
Due to the remote location of Nam Du Island, where the national power grid has not yet reached, the local authorities prioritize providing electricity (using generators) to schools so that they can organize a more complete and warm back-to-school ceremony with many welcoming performances prepared by the students.
"This school year, our school expects to have around 300 students (middle and high school). Many students are still facing difficulties. The teachers are actively soliciting donations from benefactors to support them with textbooks and awarding 12 scholarships to help them continue their education, determined not to let any student drop out due to hardship," Ms. Tâm said.
Students from An Son Secondary School in Kien Hai Special Zone - located about 100km from Rach Gia - happily attend the opening ceremony - Photo: CHI CONG
Vo Thi Sau Secondary School in Buon Don commune, Dak Lak province, kicked off its opening ceremony with a welcome performance for 6th grade students - Photo: TRUNG TAN
The welcoming ceremony for first-grade students at Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School, Hiep Phu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, on the morning of September 5th - Photo: QUANG DINH
Teacher and students on the first day of the new school year - Photo: NGUYEN LAM
A school year of innovation
The 2025-2026 academic year marks the implementation of several major policies and guidelines, including the enactment of four laws on education: the Law on Teachers, the Law amending and supplementing certain articles of the Law on Education, the amended Law on Higher Education, and the amended Law on Vocational Education.
This year also saw the implementation of the national target program for the development of education and training, including tuition fee exemptions and support, organizing semi-boarding meals, and building school systems in land border communes…
Going back in time, immediately after the success of the August Revolution, the Ministry of National Education was established (August 28, 1945) with the task of building a completely new education system, of the people, by the people, and for the people.
During the period 1945-1954, the Popular Education and Adult Education movement was a miracle, eradicating illiteracy for millions and raising the general level of education. The school system was continuously expanded to train key human resources for the cause of "resistance and national reconstruction".
Building upon the achievements of the previous period, from 1954 to 1975, North Vietnam essentially eradicated illiteracy. Tens of thousands of cadres, intellectuals, engineers, doctors, and teachers were trained both domestically and abroad in socialist countries, becoming the key force in building North Vietnam and providing support to South Vietnam.
In the South, in the liberated zones, revolutionary education proved its flexibility and resilience, building a network of democratic schools and training cadres to serve the resistance.
The most outstanding achievement of education during the period 1975-1986 was the successful unification of the national education system. The network of schools from preschool to university was maintained and expanded; success was achieved in eradicating illiteracy and raising the general level of education. This was also the period for building a comprehensive system of educational guidelines and policies, which became the guiding principles for the sector's activities for a long time.
From 1986 to the present, the system of policies and laws on education has been continuously improved, clearly demonstrating the viewpoint that "education and training is a top national priority." In particular, Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW identifies fundamental and comprehensive reform of education and training, shifting from primarily equipping students with knowledge to developing their comprehensive qualities and abilities...
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/30-trieu-hoc-sinh-sinh-vien-vao-nam-hoc-moi-20250904215152619.htm
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