Nearly 300,000 preschool children have not been to school, needing more than 116,000 billion VND for universalization

Preschooleducation still faces many difficulties and major challenges such as: A large number of preschool children from 3 to 4 years old (mainly children in disadvantaged areas, disadvantaged children) have not had access to preschool education, creating inequality in access to education. Conditions to ensure the quality of preschool education are still poor.

That is the information given by Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son when submitting to the National Assembly a draft Resolution on universalizing preschool education for preschool children from 3 to 5 years old.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son. Photo: Pham Thang

According to Minister Nguyen Kim Son, every year, over 5.1 million preschool children (including 4,556,771 preschool-age children from 3 to 5 years old) are nurtured, cared for, and educated at 15,256 preschools and 17,444 independent preschool education facilities. The rate of mobilizing children in nursery schools is 34.6%, the rate of mobilizing preschool children is 93.6%.

However, the Minister said that current policies for preschool children, teachers, educational institutions, investment mechanisms and policies, and socialization of education are still limited and do not meet the requirements for preschool education development. There are nearly 300,000 preschool children who have not been to school, concentrated in difficult and extremely difficult areas, highlands, mountainous areas, border areas, islands, and areas with many ethnic minorities.

Therefore, the development and promulgation of the National Assembly Resolution will contribute to ensuring social security, creating opportunities for preschool children in all regions of the country to access preschool education, increasing resources from the central and local budgets to invest in facilities and develop staff.

According to the Government's plan, universal preschool education for children from 3 to 5 years old will be implemented nationwide by 2030.

According to Minister Nguyen Kim Son, the proposed state budget should increase by 20% of the total expenditure on education and training according to the Education Law to implement this universalization. At the same time, social resources will be mobilized to invest in developing preschool education in all forms according to the provisions of law.

The Government will invest in developing the network of schools and classes; facilities and minimum teaching equipment; Ensuring the number of preschool teachers according to prescribed standards; Ensuring adequate operating costs for public preschools; Supplementing and amending policies for children; teachers, managers, and preschool staff...

Reviewing this content, Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh said that the issuance of the resolution will create conditions for children aged 3 to 5 to go to school, aiming at comprehensive development, preparing children for first grade. "This is an important step forward in realizing educational equity, clearly demonstrating the State's responsibility in caring for the young generation," Mr. Nguyen Dac Vinh emphasized.

The review body also made notes on implementation resources. The committee believes that achieving the goal of universal preschool education for children aged 3 to 5 by 2030 will require huge financial and human resources.

Regarding investment in facilities and equipment, the total estimated budget for the 2026-2030 period is more than VND 116,314 billion. The drafting agency needs to determine the roadmap for the 2026-2030 period.

Regarding the teaching staff, the Committee requested the drafting agency to clearly identify the number of preschool teachers needed to be added in the 2026-2030 period, report to competent authorities for consideration and decision. There were opinions requesting the drafting agency to add solutions to promote the socialization of education to reduce pressure on the teaching staff and facilities from the state budget.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/gan-300000-tre-mau-giao-chua-duoc-den-truong-can-hon-116000-ti-dong-de-pho-cap-196250522095752418.htm