Minister of Education and Training: By November at the earliest, there will be a plan for a unified set of textbooks.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said the Ministry is developing a project for a unified set of textbooks, and is trying to have a plan by November 2025 at the earliest and implement it in time for the 2026-2027 school year.

On the afternoon of October 22nd, the National Assembly held group discussions on three draft laws: the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Education ; the draft Law on Higher Education (amended); and the draft Law on Vocational Education (amended).

The draft law amending and supplementing several articles of the Education Law stipulates that the State will provide a single set of textbooks for unified use nationwide. At the same time, the Government will provide textbooks free of charge to students.

Representative Nguyen Anh Tri ( Hanoi delegation) emphasized that unifying a single set of textbooks is definitely necessary. However, he raised concerns about which set of textbooks would be used and the timeframe for implementation.

According to the plan, a unified set of textbooks will be used starting from the 2026-2027 school year. He argued that this is "too rushed" as 2025 is almost over. Mr. Tri questioned: This is a major issue, but why is there no provision for it in the draft law? He suggested that it be considered and added to the draft law so that the Ministry of Education and Training can easily implement it.

Representative Nguyen Anh Tri. Photo: National Assembly

Delegate Nguyen Tuan Thinh (Hanoi delegation) also acknowledged that implementing a unified set of textbooks from September 2026 would be "a challenge, very difficult." However, he emphasized that it must be implemented to institutionalize Resolution No. 71 of the Politburo.

He argued that when providing free textbooks with a unified set of textbooks, the drafting agency needs to conduct research to ensure feasibility. He suggested printing textbooks and giving them to schools for students to borrow. This would be both free and economical. In case the books are damaged or lost, students would have to compensate or purchase replacements. This would facilitate the implementation of the free textbook policy.

Regarding the regulations on textbook approval by the National Council for Textbook Appraisal and the Minister of Education and Training, Mr. Thinh suggested combining them and entrusting the Government with the task of providing detailed regulations.

Delegate Tran Van Sau (from Dong Thap province) also supported the unified set of textbooks, given the numerous complaints about existing textbooks.

"There's a paradox: prices decrease for any product that undergoes socialization, but textbooks actually increase in price when socialized. Therefore, when implementing a unified set of textbooks nationwide, it's necessary to clearly define which stages are socialized and which are handled by the State," the representative questioned.

He argued that the State should play a leading role in developing and uniformly implementing a single set of textbooks nationwide.

Regarding textbook evaluation, delegate Ma Thi Thuy (Tuyen Quang delegation) commented that it is "completely appropriate," but regulations are needed to ensure independence and transparency in the evaluation process, avoiding a situation where both management and evaluation are involved.

"There should be clear standards for council members, prioritizing experienced experts and educators who have no vested interests in publishing houses," Ms. Thuy stated.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son delivered an explanation this afternoon. Photo: Pham Thang

In a further clarifying statement, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that delegate Nguyen Anh Tri should not worry, as the Ministry is currently developing a plan.

Minister Nguyen Kim Son said that the proposal includes a plan and will seek the leaders' opinion. "We will try to have a plan ready as quickly as possible, by November," the Minister said, affirming that it will be implemented in time for the 2026-2027 school year.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/bo-truong-gd-dt-nhanh-nhat-thang-11-se-co-phuong-an-mot-bo-sgk-thong-nhat-2455400.html