116,000 billion VND needed to universalize preschool education

On the morning of May 22, continuing the 9th session of the 15th National Assembly, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son presented to the National Assembly a draft Resolution on universalizing preschooleducation for preschool children from 3 to 5 years old.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son presented to the National Assembly a draft Resolution on universalizing preschool education for children aged 3-5 years old.

PHOTO: GIA HAN

Mr. Son said that every year, 5.1 million preschool children attend preschools and independent preschool education facilities, a rate of 93.6%.

However, preschool education still faces many difficulties, especially with nearly 300,000 preschool children not yet attending class, mainly children in remote, disadvantaged areas, and children in special circumstances.

Therefore, universalizing preschool education for children from 3 to 5 years old aims to ensure fairness in access to education and continue to improve the quality of education at this level.

The Government aims to complete universal preschool education for children aged 3-5 nationwide by 2030. The main policies include investment in developing the network of schools and classes; facilities and minimum teaching equipment. Along with that is ensuring the preschool education team; ensuring operating costs for public preschool education facilities.

In addition, the Government also proposed amending policies for children; teachers, managers, preschool staff, etc.

According to the Minister of Education and Training, funding for investment in developing the network of schools, classrooms, facilities, and minimum teaching equipment must be included in the National Target Program on Education.

With other policies, the resources to carry out this task in the next 5 years from the state budget need about 25,754 billion VND, an average of 5,151 billion VND/year.

Carefully evaluate funding sources for universal preschool education

Examining this content, the Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society said that according to the Government's report, in order to implement universal preschool education for children from 3 to 5 years old, the State must ensure huge financial and human resources.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh presented an inspection report, requesting a thorough assessment of funding sources for universal preschool education for children aged 3-5.

PHOTO: GIA HAN

The total estimated budget for universalizing preschool education for children aged 3-5 (2026-2030) is VND 116,314 billion. The investment in building schools and classrooms, adding equipment, supplies, and toys to ensure minimum conditions according to regulations is VND 91,872 billion.

The review agency believes that the Ministry of Education and Training needs to determine the roadmap for each school year in the period 2026 - 2030. This roadmap needs to be specifically stipulated in the project to have a basis for planning to prepare conditions to ensure such as: building schools and classrooms; funding to build schools and classrooms according to the annual project...

In addition, in the report, the Government proposed 2 options for investment needs in facilities and minimum teaching equipment for the period 2026 - 2030, in which option 1 proposed a total budget of 52,598 billion VND. Option 2 was 91,872 billion VND.

The reviewing agency requests that the drafting agency clearly state its viewpoint on selecting the proposed option to provide sufficient basis for the competent authority to consider and decide.

Mr. Nguyen Dac Vinh emphasized the request for the Ministry of Education and Training to carefully assess the funding source for implementing the resolution. The review agency also requested the Government to consider allocating additional funding to implement the resolution from the central budget in addition to the total state budget expenditure for education and training.

In addition, according to Mr. Vinh, there are opinions suggesting that financial resources need to ensure feasibility, consistent with the ability to balance the state budget; especially the ability to balance the budget of localities with difficult conditions.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/can-116000-ti-dong-de-pho-cap-giao-duc-mam-non-185250522084900079.htm