Excitement over the special opening ceremony.

Nearly 32 million students and teachers nationwide participated online in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the education sector's tradition and the opening of the 2025-2026 school year this morning (September 5) at the National Convention Center (Hanoi), organized by the Ministry of Education and Training.

This is the first time all educational institutions nationwide will raise the flag and sing the national anthem at the same time during the opening ceremony of the new school year.

The Ministry of Education and Training announced that the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the education sector's tradition and the opening of the 2025-2026 school year will take place from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM, broadcast live on VTV1 , connecting online with all educational institutions nationwide, with the participation of approximately 1.7 million teachers and nearly 30 million students across the country.

GENERAL SECRETARY TO LAM WILL GIVE A CONGRATULATORY SPEECH

The ceremony is expected to be attended by General Secretary To Lam, President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, along with current and former leaders of the Party and State; and current and former leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training from various periods…

According to the planned program, at the ceremony, General Secretary To Lam will deliver a speech congratulating the 80th anniversary of the education sector and inaugurating the new school year. Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son will read a speech commemorating the 80th anniversary of the education sector and inaugurating the 2025-2026 school year; and representatives of students from across the country will give their opinions.

Students and teachers nationwide are entering the new school year with joy. In the photo: teachers and students of Tran Hung Dao Primary School (Cau Ong Lanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) preparing for the opening day.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

During the ceremony, Party and State leaders will present the First-Class Labor Medal to the Ministry of Education and Training, deliver a speech, and beat the drum to officially open the 2025-2026 school year.

Prior to the ceremony, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son shared: "The opening ceremony of the 2025-2026 school year takes place in a special context: the whole country is celebrating the 80th anniversary of National Day; carrying out the historical 'reorganization of the nation'; organizing Party congresses at all levels… For the education sector, the start of the new school year is also an opportunity to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the education sector's tradition, and also the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Ministry of National Education. This is not only an opportunity for us to look back on the 80-year journey of education in developing the country, but also an opportunity to become more aware of the mission and responsibility of education in shaping people, building and developing the country, and integrating into the new era."

According to the Minister, the significance of the opening ceremony is further deepened by the fact that 52,000 educational institutions nationwide are connected online and broadcast live, with the presence of the highest leaders of the Party and State, to spread confidence, enthusiasm, and determination to take Vietnamese education to new heights.

THE KEYWORD FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR IS "IMPLEMENTATION"

Minister Nguyen Kim Son shared with teachers and students nationwide: 2025-2026 is a very important school year, with many major tasks to be accomplished and many opportunities for innovation. The keyword for this school year is "implementation." This means focusing on effectively implementing the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws on education, as well as the 10 key tasks and solutions for the 2025-2026 school year of the education sector. This is how the entire sector can both inherit and build upon the achievements of the past 80 years, overcome existing shortcomings and limitations, and open new paths for Vietnamese education in the future.

Nearly 32 million students and teachers nationwide participated in a special opening ceremony this morning (September 5).

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

"Education is a century-long endeavor, requiring vision, perseverance, fairness, and the highest level of responsibility. I call upon the entire sector, from management to teachers and staff, and all students, to prepare themselves with the best mindset, spirit, and conditions, and to unite and work together so that the new school year becomes a busy but joyful and successful one," Minister Nguyen Kim Son emphasized.

FIRST YEAR OF FREE TUITION FROM PRESCHOOL TO SECONDARY SCHOOL

Before the start of the school year, the Government issued Decree No. 238/2025 guiding the implementation of Resolution No. 217/2025/QH15 of the National Assembly on tuition fee exemption and support for preschool children, primary and secondary school students, and learners of general education programs in educational institutions belonging to the national education system. The Decree takes effect from the date of issuance (September 3) and will be implemented immediately in the 2025-2026 school year.

Accordingly, regulations on tuition fee frameworks (floor and ceiling) or tuition fee ceilings for different educational levels, and tuition fee roadmaps are inherited from Decree No. 81/2021 and Decree No. 97/2023. The goal is to ensure the stability of tuition fee policies, create proactive and convenient conditions for learners, educational institutions, and management agencies, while implementing a step-by-step roadmap to offset salary costs, direct costs, management costs, depreciation of fixed assets, and other costs as stipulated by the law on pricing.

In addition to inheriting previous regulations, the new decree supplements and provides specific guidance in accordance with Resolution 217 of the National Assembly: tuition fees are waived for preschool children, primary and secondary school students, and learners in general education programs at public educational institutions; tuition fee support for preschool children, primary and secondary school students, and learners in general education programs at private and non-profit educational institutions is provided at a rate determined by the Provincial People's Council, but not exceeding the tuition fee charged by private and non-profit institutions.

The method for providing tuition fee exemptions and support to students is regulated with a view to maximizing administrative procedure reform, specifically: preschool children and primary and secondary school students do not need to submit applications for tuition fee exemptions or support; at the same time, it stipulates that administrative procedures will be handled through the exploitation of electronic data already available in the National Population Database and other specialized databases, and adds the option of submitting applications through the national public service portal to facilitate students.

Hanoi provides subsidized school lunch for primary school students.

In the 2025-2026 school year, Hanoi will have over 2,900 preschool and primary/secondary schools with more than 2.3 million students, an increase of approximately 60,000 students compared to the previous school year. Notably, this school year Hanoi will add 43 public schools at all levels, increasing educational opportunities, reducing class sizes, and easing the burden on parents.

Hanoi schools are ready for the opening ceremony. For this year's special opening ceremony, following the guidance of the Department of Education and Training, schools will arrange for students to attend differently depending on their grade level and grade. Some kindergartens and primary schools will have younger students attend the ceremony in their classrooms, watching on television screens. Older students will gather in the schoolyard to watch on LED screens.

Since each locality will have a connection point to the National Convention Center (where the live program will take place), Hanoi has chosen Phan Huy Chu High School in Dong Da District as the city's connection point.

Hanoi has allocated over 3,000 billion VND to support the implementation of a resolution to provide lunch support for primary school students.

PHOTO: P. HOA

This school year also marks the beginning of a special policy for students. In addition to the general policy of waiving tuition fees for students from preschool to high school, this is the first school year Hanoi has implemented a resolution to support school lunch programs for primary school students. The total funding amounts to over 3,000 billion VND, allocated to approximately 768,000 students in public and private schools (excluding schools with foreign investment). This policy not only reduces the financial burden on parents but also demonstrates the government's concern for the holistic development of students.

Hanoi Department of Education and Training Director Tran The Cuong emphasized: "The 2025-2026 school year will be a crucial turning point for the capital's education sector. With policies on tuition fee exemption, lunch support, and the nationwide synchronization of opening ceremonies, the entire sector is gradually building a high-quality, integrated, and equitable education system."

In addition, Mr. Cuong stated that Hanoi will implement the best conditions under the theme "Discipline - Creativity - Breakthrough - Development," paying particular attention to guiding wards, communes, and schools in the area on revenue and expenditure at the beginning of the school year; on teaching two sessions per day; on extra classes and tutoring; and on joint ventures and partnerships in schools.

Tuyet Mai

Ho Chi Minh City, a megacity with over 2.5 million students, adds 1,434 new classrooms.

The 2025-2026 school year will be the first year that the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training implements the merger and consolidation of the former Departments of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau. This consolidation will transform Ho Chi Minh City into a megacity with nearly 3,500 educational institutions and approximately 2,528,789 students from preschool to high school (an increase of 39,632 students compared to the previous school year).

For the new school year, Ho Chi Minh City has put into use 1,434 new classrooms (an increase of 1,072 compared to the previous school year), with a budget of over 4,522 billion VND.

Students in Ho Chi Minh City are preparing to welcome the new school year.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

Observations at high schools on September 4th showed that preparations for the national opening ceremony and the start of the 2025-2026 school year were complete and well-organized. At Can Thanh High School (Can Gio commune), the school had prepared facilities and equipment to hold the opening ceremony for the new school year with 651 students. Mr. Ngo Van Hoi, the school's Vice Principal, said that before the opening ceremony, the school would hold an activity to welcome 10th-grade students. After 9:30 AM, the school would award scholarships and students would participate in the celebratory activities of the opening ceremony to connect and interact.

Similarly, Nguyen Tat Thanh High School (Binh Phu Ward) mobilized teachers, staff, and students to participate in preparing for the opening day of the new school year. Mr. Nguyen Quang Dat, the school's principal, shared that each group, from teachers to students, each had a suitable task and worked together in the preparation with the goal of a happy new school year and achieving desired academic results.

Bich Thanh

Wishing you a successful school year!

This year, I'm starting a new school year, studying at a new school, meeting new friends and teachers, and I'm feeling quite excited. In this special atmosphere of the opening day, I hope that I and my classmates will have a successful school year.

Luu Gia Tue (Student of class 6/1, Nguyen Van Troi Secondary School, Hanh Thong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City)

A mood of great excitement

I heard from my teachers about the special opening ceremony. We heard the school bell ringing at the same time as all other schools nationwide, so we were all very excited. It wasn't just me; my friends were all eagerly awaiting September 5th.

Thai Bao Vy (3rd grade/4 student, Tran Hung Dao Primary School, Cau Ong Lanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City)

Thuy Hang (recorded)

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nao-nuc-le-khai-giang-dac-biet-185250904235349926.htm