Free textbooks, abolishing school councils... many educational reforms are being stirred up

On the morning of November 17, continuing the 10th Session, Minister of Justice Nguyen Hai Ninh presented the Report on the draft Resolution of the National Assembly on specific mechanisms and policies to implement Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW dated August 22, 2025 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in education and training development.

A set of textbooks used uniformly nationwide, from the 2026-2027 school year

According to Minister Nguyen Hai Ninh, the draft Resolution consists of 11 articles, stipulating the principles for applying a number of specific and outstanding mechanisms and policies in the field of education and training. Based on the direction of Resolution No. 71 of the Politburo and Resolution No. 158 of the Government, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has reviewed and selected key, urgent and breakthrough issues, ensuring clear goals, clear solutions, clear responsibilities and clear feasibility, fully institutionalizing the Party's policies in the spirit of Resolution No. 71.

Minister of Justice Nguyen Hai Ninh. Photo: Nhu Y.

In Article 3 of the draft Resolution regulating cooperation in developing educational programs, it is stated that the Minister of Education and Training decides on a set of general education textbooks to be used uniformly nationwide, implemented from the 2026-2027 school year; and provides free textbooks to students to be completed by 2030. For localities with conditions, free textbooks will be implemented from the 2026-2027 school year.

The State ensures resources to exempt tuition fees and curriculum for National Defense and Security Education at higher education institutions and vocational education institutions according to the roadmap prescribed by the Government, in accordance with the ability to balance the State budget, relevant laws and requirements to ensure fairness in access to education.

Presenting the review report, Chairman of the Committee for Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh said that it is necessary to clarify the regulation that localities with conditions will implement free textbooks from the 2026-2027 school year to avoid misunderstanding that priority is given to providing free textbooks first to students in localities with conditions instead of giving priority to students in disadvantaged areas; consider regulating the State mechanism to encourage the attraction of resources from society and localities with conditions to support disadvantaged localities to implement this policy.

In Article 2, on human resource development in the education sector, the draft stipulates special and outstanding policies on remuneration for human resources in the education sector. Accordingly, preferential allowances for occupations are implemented according to a roadmap for public preschool and general education institutions with a minimum level of 70% for teachers, 30% for staff and 100% for teachers working in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions, border areas, islands, ethnic minority and mountainous areas.

Chairman of the Committee for Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh. Photo: Nhu Y.

Vocational education institutions and universities are autonomous in deciding on additional income levels for teachers, civil servants and employees from legal sources outside the state budget, in accordance with internal spending regulations and the unit's performance.

The operation of the School Council of public educational institutions will end.

The draft resolution also mentions the termination of the operation of the School Council of public educational institutions. Accordingly, it stipulates a transitional period when the School Council terminates its operation, within a period of no more than 6 months, the direct management agency shall decide on a number of management and operational contents undertaken by the School Council related to organization and personnel work. The direct management agency shall base on the standards and conditions of the head of the educational institution prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training to consider and decide on appropriate personnel.

The direct management agency decides the number of deputies of the head during the personnel arrangement and handover of the School Council's operating mechanism; allows the number of deputies to exceed the regulation for 5 years and develops a plan to gradually reduce it in accordance with the provisions of law.

Regarding the end of the operation of the School Council of public educational institutions, in the review report, the Committee for Culture and Society agreed with the regulations on the transitional period when the operation of the School Council ends, and at the same time said that there were opinions suggesting that the transitional regulations should be included in the relevant draft laws that are being submitted for amendment and supplementation; not stipulated in the draft resolution.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/mien-phi-sgk-bo-hoi-dong-truong-nhieu-cai-cach-giao-duc-duoc-xoi-xao-post1796816.tpo