A school year full of firsts.

The 2025-2026 school year will be a special one as the education sector also operates under a two-tiered local government model, and Vietnam completes its administrative boundary reorganization, leaving only 34 provinces and cities.

UNDERSTANDING THE NEW POLICY

On August 22nd, ahead of the new school year, General Secretary To Lam signed and promulgated Resolution No. 71 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in education and training development, which sets out the goals of Vietnamese education by 2030, 2035, and 2045 with specific tasks and solutions.

This is also the first school year with 100% tuition fee exemption for children from 3 months old in preschool to primary and secondary school students, including those studying general education programs in public educational institutions in all 34 provinces and cities nationwide. At the same time, preschool children, primary and secondary school students, and those studying general education programs in private and non-public educational institutions will receive tuition fee support. Furthermore, according to the Ministry of Education and Training's guidelines, in the 2025-2026 school year, eligible secondary and high schools will organize two-session teaching per day, with no more than 7 lessons per day (primary schools will continue to teach two sessions per day as regulated).

Students will enter the 2025-2026 school year with many humane policies aimed at promoting the quality of education and learning.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

From September 25, 2025, Government Decree No. 222/2025/ND-CP regulating the teaching and learning in foreign languages ​​in educational institutions will come into effect. Accordingly, general education institutions implementing the Vietnamese general education program are permitted to teach and learn some subjects, educational activities, or some content of some subjects and educational activities in a foreign language, prioritizing subjects in the fields of mathematics, natural sciences , technology, and information technology. Continuing education programs may also be taught and learned partially in a foreign language.

For the 2025-2026 academic year (specifically from July 1, 2025), the state budget will increase the subsidy for health insurance premiums for high school and university students from 30% to a minimum of 50%, according to Government Decree No. 188/2025/ND-CP detailing and guiding the implementation of some articles of the Health Insurance Law. Accordingly, high school and university students will only have to pay a maximum of 631,800 VND/year for health insurance. Compared to the previous rate, they will receive a reduction of 252,720 VND/year.

DEVELOPING MODERN EDUCATION AND INTERNATIONAL INTEGRATION

Ho Chi Minh City, the largest urban area in the country, with approximately 2.6 million students and nearly 3,500 schools across 168 wards, communes, and special zones, has implemented a series of new initiatives to develop education in a modern and internationally integrated direction.

The city aims to become a major, exemplary center for high-quality education and training by 2030, rapidly approaching international standards, adapting to digital transformation, innovation, and integration. This includes incorporating international integration and digital skills into the general education curriculum, developing new education and training models based on digital platforms, and creating lifelong learning opportunities for all citizens.

One of the key points emphasized by Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, in implementing the tasks for the new school year is that teaching must be engaging for students. "The teaching process must definitely involve research and innovation in methods, focusing on the students' best interests, not just teaching for exam preparation. A student who is academically gifted and has high grades but lacks communication skills or doesn't know how to play sports is unacceptable," Mr. Hieu stressed.

One of the key objectives for the new school year in Ho Chi Minh City is to make teaching and learning engaging for students.

Photo: Ngoc Duong

The Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training stated that this school year, the department is officially implementing regulations to ensure the health and safety of students and improve the quality of education across different areas. These regulations include prohibiting the use of mobile phones, paying attention to school restrooms, and emphasizing holistic education. "Mobile phones are only allowed during class time when permitted by the teacher, as per the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training. If students need to use phones, the school must ensure a free communication channel for them," Mr. Hieu emphasized.

STRICT MANAGEMENT OF EXTRA CLASSES AND TUTORING

The leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training acknowledge that the issue of extra tutoring will become a hot topic at the start of the new school year; therefore, the city will aggressively implement Circular 29 on extra tutoring to ensure it is strictly and correctly enforced, preventing any student from being pressured during the learning process.

Mr. Hieu instructed that when registering for extra classes, teachers must inform the principal where they will be giving extra classes, provide a list of students, and truthfully declare this information on the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education's extra classes management software. This will help detect whether or not a teacher is giving extra classes to their own students.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nam-hoc-cua-nhieu-dieu-dau-tien-185250907211940749.htm