Resolution 71 of the Politburo sets the goal of providing free textbooks to students nationwide by 2030. This is a policy of great significance, receiving attention from society and is expected to contribute to creating an important shift in ensuring educational equity.

Reduce the burden, realize the long-standing dream of parents and students

Sharing with VietNamNet , Mr. Nguyen Quoc Binh, Principal of Luong The Vinh Secondary and High School, said that textbooks are a significant expense for many families, especially those in remote areas.

“Along with the tuition-free policy, providing free textbooks will directly reduce the financial burden on many families. This has been the long-standing desire of students and parents, and is also a superiority that not every country can achieve. This demonstrates the great efforts of the Party and State in caring for education ,” Mr. Binh shared.

However, the principal also said that when the policy is put into practice, the implementation stage needs to be given utmost attention. Textbooks must be distributed directly to students, used multiple times, avoiding loss, damage and waste. “If managed well, this policy will truly bring long-term benefits to millions of students across the country,” Mr. Binh emphasized.

W-khai giang 1.jpg
Teachers and students of Nguyen Tat Thanh Primary School ( Ninh Binh ) at the opening ceremony of the 2024-2025 school year. Photo: Pham Trong Tung

Sharing the same view, Associate Professor, Dr. Dang Thi Thanh Huyen, former Director of the Institute for Educational Management Science Research (Academy of Educational Management), assessed that providing free textbooks is a particularly meaningful policy, especially for students in disadvantaged areas.

“For many families in disadvantaged areas, receiving free textbooks is a great joy. With policies of free tuition, free textbooks, and boarding schools, children in remote, isolated, and disadvantaged areas can still go to school and access education,” said Ms. Huyen.

She also said that this policy demonstrates the special attention of the Party and State to education, aiming to put Vietnam in the top 20 leading education systems in the world. This is one of the drastic measures, because if students do not have full access to textbooks, lack of official reference materials... it will be a huge disadvantage.

“Education cannot develop at a higher level without these minimum prerequisites,” she said.

However, according to Ms. Huyen, in addition to providing free textbooks, if disadvantaged areas are invested further to improve the quality of teachers, facilities, teaching equipment, especially in the fields of science and technology such as AI, STEM... the regional gap will be further narrowed, improving the level of equal access to education between regions.

Humanitarian policy, affirming education as the center of national development

Meanwhile, Dr. Nguyen Tung Lam, Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Educational Psychology, said that this is a deeply humane policy, demonstrating the care of the Party and State for each student, ensuring fairness and access to education for all regions.

"Education needs to prioritize two aspects: quality and ensuring fairness, from which breakthroughs can be created. Therefore, in parallel with developing the quality of education, free textbooks are the first step to create synchronization, unity, and move towards the goal of fairness," said Dr. Nguyen Tung Lam.

Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Hoai Son, Standing Member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, said that this policy clearly reflects the viewpoints, priorities and strategic vision of our Party and State on human development.

“This is an affirmation that education is always at the center of national development. This policy is also a concrete demonstration of the spirit of ‘leaving no one behind’ in accessing knowledge,” said Mr. Son.

According to him, in a modern society, sustainable development cannot rely solely on a few well-off groups, but must ensure that all children - from lowland to highland, from urban to remote islands - have the opportunity to study on an equal basis.

“This policy also clearly reflects the innovative thinking in education management. Instead of just talking about the goal of improving quality, we are starting from seemingly small but decisive things - textbooks.

Because knowledge, if it wants to go far, must start from the pages of books. Fairness, if it wants to be sustainable, must start from the first steps on the path of education of each child.

'Free textbooks for students is a practical sharing with the people' "When the State takes care of textbooks for students, it is a practical sharing, helping parents feel more secure, saving resources to focus on other equally important needs such as nutrition, health or extracurricular activities of their children".

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/mien-phi-sach-giao-khoa-la-buoc-di-chien-luoc-trong-phat-trien-giao-duc-2437617.html