Opening of the 2023-2024 school year nationwide.

Today, September 5th, students across the country attended the opening ceremony of the new school year. Teachers and students nationwide are ready for a school year with unwavering goals and a commitment to continued innovation and creativity.

The opening ceremony was brief and student-centered. On the morning of September 5th, Politburo member and National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue attended the opening ceremony of the new school year at Friendship School T78.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue attends the opening ceremony of the new school year at Friendship School T78. Photo: Khanh Linh.

Also attending were leaders of the Party and State, leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training , leaders of the Hanoi People's Committee, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to Vietnam.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and other delegates attend the opening ceremony of the new school year at Friendship School T78. Photo: Khanh Linh.

The T78 Friendship School (formerly the Central Mountainous Region School Campus) was established on January 1, 1958, by a decision of the Central Party Secretariat, based on the guiding ideology of President Ho Chi Minh to assist Laos in providing cultural education for Pathet Lao cadres and soldiers. The school is a public service unit under the Ministry of Education and Training. Its current mission is to provide preparatory Vietnamese language instruction for Lao students and to educate high school students from ethnic minority groups in Vietnam and Laos, following the model of a boarding school for ethnic minorities with foreign elements. Over 65 years of development, the school has trained over 27,000 Lao students. Many of these students have held important positions in the leadership of the Lao Party and State, from the central to local levels. Tens of thousands of ethnic minority students who graduated have gone on to attend universities and academies and returned to contribute to the socio-economic development of their localities. On the morning of September 5th, Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia - Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Head of the Central Propaganda Department, Mr. Vu Thanh Mai - Deputy Head of the Central Propaganda Department, and Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc - Deputy Minister of Education and Training, attended the opening ceremony and presented 50 gifts to students of Tan Phu Secondary School in Tan Phu Dong district (Tien Giang province).

Nguyen Trong Nghia, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and Head of the Central Propaganda Department, presents gifts to students. Photo: Thanh Nhan.

Despite the challenging and limited facilities, Tan Phu Secondary School in Tan Phu Dong district (Tien Giang province) has achieved positive results in recent years. The school currently has 349 students; in the past academic year, 100% of students passed their graduation exams; one student was recognized as an outstanding student at the provincial level; the school as a whole achieved excellent performance; and for six consecutive years, the school has received the emulation flag from the provincial education and training sector and is currently being considered for a commendation from the Prime Minister. Attending the opening ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia beat the drum to officially open the school year and delivered a welcoming speech, congratulating the teachers and students of Tan Phu Secondary School on entering the new academic year with renewed hope and new achievements.

Head of the Central Propaganda Department Nguyen Trong Nghia beats the drum to officially open the school year. Photo: Thanh Nhan

The Head of the Central Propaganda Department stated that a love of learning is a very precious and proud tradition of Tien Giang province. Tan Phu Secondary School, like many other schools in the province, has made great efforts to overcome difficulties and strive for excellence in teaching and learning, which is highly commendable. Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia reminded officials, teachers, and students of Tien Giang province in general, and Tan Phu Secondary School in particular, to continue improving teaching and learning, contributing to the training of talents for the country. In addition, he requested that local Party committees and authorities thoroughly understand the Party and State's views on education and training, continue to pay attention to and create favorable conditions for education and training; combine cultural education with moral education and patriotic tradition education; and innovate education in conjunction with digital transformation.

Overcoming all difficulties, the students of Muong Toong Ethnic Boarding Secondary School were able to attend the opening ceremony. Photo: Van Thanh Chuong

In keeping with the nationwide back-to-school atmosphere, students in Muong Toong commune, Muong Nha district, Dien Bien province also woke up very early to go to school using a very special means of transportation: a homemade bamboo raft.

Students in Muong Toong commune, Muong Nha district, Dien Bien province cross a stream to get to school. Photo: Van Thanh Chuong.

The children have to travel on this special and potentially risky means of transportation: the only bridge connecting the two banks of the stream, which was damaged during the heavy rains and floods in early August.

The only means of transportation to school for the students of Muong Toong Ethnic Boarding Secondary School is a raft. Photo: Van Thanh Chuong

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Tam, the principal of Muong Toong Ethnic Boarding Secondary School, many students had been brought to school by their families the day before, while the remaining students woke up early this morning and crossed the stream by raft to get to school in time for the opening ceremony.

Students made it to the opening ceremony despite the long and difficult journey. Photo: Van Thanh Chuong

“Due to the difficult and cramped conditions of the schools in the commune, all three schools—the junior high school, the primary school, and the kindergarten—held their opening ceremonies at a single location,” said Mr. Tam. Overcoming all difficulties, more than 2,500 students in the commune were able to attend the lively opening ceremony, marking the beginning of the new school year in this remote area, the westernmost point of the country.

The opening ceremony for 2,500 students at Dich Vong Secondary School (Cau Giay District, Hanoi). Photo: Hai Nguyen

Students at Dich Vong Secondary School (Cau Giay District, Hanoi) begin the new school year. Photo: Hai Nguyen

At Friendship School T78 (Tho Loc commune, Phuc Tho district, Hanoi), more than 1,000 ethnic minority students from across the northern mountainous provinces are celebrating the new school year. These children are far from their families and villages, pursuing their dreams. Photo: Khanh Linh

Principal Nguyen Quoc Binh of Luong The Vinh School (Hanoi) beats the drum to inaugurate the new school year 2023-2024. Photo: Hai Nguyen

The opening ceremony of the new school year at Luong The Vinh School (Hanoi). Photo: Hai Nguyen

Ms. Le Thi Hoa, homeroom teacher of class 12D2 at Luong The Vinh Secondary and High School (Cau Giay district, Hanoi), felt a mix of excitement and regret: “My students only have a short time left before saying goodbye to me. My greatest wish is for them to succeed and remember Mr. Van Nhu Cuong's teachings that no matter what they do, they should always become decent people,” Ms. Hoa said. Photo: Hai Nguyen

Students at Luong The Vinh Secondary and High School are excited about the opening ceremony of the new school year 2023-2024. Photo: Hai Nguyen

* For the 2023-2024 school year, Kindergarten No. 3 (Ba Dinh District, Hanoi ) welcomed an additional 250 children. According to observations, contrary to the usual sleepy and clingy attitude of some children, some arrived very early, proactively arranged their belongings, and confidently posed for photos before the opening ceremony. Mr. Bui Van Tuan (Ba Dinh District, Hanoi) said: "This is my child's second year of school, so he's quite used to the atmosphere and doesn't cry as much as last year."

Photo: Bich Ngoc

Around 6:20 AM, the atmosphere on the first day of school in Can Tho became lively, with parents busily bringing their children to school. Despite the light rain this morning, the students were all eager and happy to go to school.

Truong Kim Ngoc, a student in class 6A12, was excited to attend the opening ceremony of the new school year. "Today, I'm very excited to attend the opening ceremony at Doan Thi Diem School. This is my favorite school. In this new school year, studying in a new school, making new friends, and meeting new teachers... makes me very enthusiastic. Especially, I will strive to study hard to achieve good results in this new school year," Ngoc shared.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha attends the opening ceremony at Doan Thi Diem Secondary School, Ninh Kieu district (Can Tho city). Photo: Phong Linh

At approximately 6:50 AM, a delegation of central government leaders, led by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, arrived to attend the opening ceremony at Doan Thi Diem Secondary School in Ninh Kieu District ( Can Tho City).

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha presents a gift to Doan Thi Diem Secondary School, Ninh Kieu District (Can Tho City). Photo: Phong Linh

* This morning, approximately 1.7 million children from preschool to elementary, middle, and high school levels in Ho Chi Minh City attended the opening ceremony, officially beginning the 2023-2024 school year.

Party Secretary of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Van Nen and Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Van Hieu attended the opening ceremony with teachers and students of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School. Photo: Phong Linh

The morning rain in Ho Chi Minh City did not dampen the lively atmosphere of the opening day ceremony at Nguyen Thi Minh Khai High School. Unlike the younger students who were still feeling nervous and apprehensive, the 12th-grade students felt a mix of nostalgia and emotion at their final opening ceremony as high school students. Le Nguyen Hoai Anh (Class 12A11) arrived at school very early to prepare for her last opening ceremony. Hoai Anh emotionally shared: "Because it's my last opening ceremony, I prepared much more thoroughly and even registered to participate in the school's welcoming group. I want to have many memories today."

Students at Nguyen Dinh Chieu Primary and Secondary School (Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi) arrive at school very early.

* The opening ceremony for the new school year was held uniformly across Hanoi on the morning of September 5, 2023, with full solemn rituals and collective activities (cultural, artistic, sports...). The Hanoi Department of Education and Training (DOET) noted that the opening ceremony should be organized concisely, with students at the center; focusing on welcoming students entering the first grade and truly becoming a school opening celebration for students.

Photo: Hai Nguyen

For preschools, the opening ceremony will be held in the form of a "Children's Back-to-School Day" in a flexible and creative manner, with content suitable to the psychological and physiological characteristics of children. The maximum duration will be 60 minutes. After the opening ceremony, schools and educational institutions will organize back-to-school activities. Based on the actual situation, schools will proactively organize practical and meaningful activities, ensuring disease prevention and control according to regulations. Many leaders will not beat drums or give speeches at the opening ceremony. On September 4th, Mr. Tran Hoang Tuan, Standing Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province, said that provincial leaders will visit 16 schools, from the plains to remote areas, on the opening day, but will not give speeches or beat drums. The drumming and speeches will be handled by the teachers. Provincial leaders will present flowers and gifts to teachers or award scholarships to underprivileged students who have overcome difficulties. Similarly, the Departments of Education and Training in Da Nang instructed schools to organize the opening ceremony of the new school year in a concise manner, without speeches from leaders at all levels.

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