General Secretary To Lam: Caring and expecting a young generation with aspirations

TPO - Experts and school administrators said that the speech of General Secretary To Lam at the opening ceremony of the new school year is very important with close instructions for the education sector in the context of rapid development of technology and artificial intelligence, it is necessary to set out requirements for strong innovation and breakthroughs while expressing the desire and expectation for a generation of students with aspirations and mastery of technology.

Báo Tiền Phong•07/09/2025

On September 5, 2025, General Secretary To Lam attended the opening ceremony of the new school year and delivered an important speech, affirming that education is always a top national priority and a key driving force for national development.

Expressing expectations for the younger generation.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy, Principal of Nguyen Sieu Secondary and High School, believes that the General Secretary 's speech, with its message expressing special concern and expectations for the younger generation, will turn Resolution 71 into reality.

According to Ms. Thuy, Resolution 71 not only provides direction for development and integration, but also represents a breakthrough. In the context of rapidly developing technology and artificial intelligence, if we do not create breakthroughs, Vietnamese education risks falling behind the rest of the world . Conversely, only by daring to make bold breakthroughs can we create leaps forward, narrow the gap, and gradually move ahead.

In his speech, the General Secretary affirmed that Resolution 71 is of paramount importance, possessing a strategic vision, with grand, specific goals, and strong, breakthrough tasks and solutions to bring Vietnamese education and training into the global education system, and needs to be quickly put into practice.

Students from Nguyen Sieu Secondary and High School participated in a cultural performance to welcome the opening ceremony of the new school year organized by the Ministry of Education and Training.

As global education continues to advance, Vietnam needs to make even greater breakthroughs to achieve the goal set by the General Secretary: to place our education system among the top 20 in the world. To achieve this, Resolution 71 demands that we act decisively, energetically, and keep pace with global development trends.

Ms. Thuy stated that with the right guidance, today's generation of Vietnamese students will possess the knowledge and confidence to become future global citizens. Education will achieve breakthroughs and reach world-class levels if today's students are given attention and their comprehensive abilities are developed, allowing them to access international trends.

This orientation also helps to clearly define the portrait of the Vietnamese people in this era of progress, associated with three core values: competence, compassion, and resilience, reflecting the General Secretary's expectation of a new generation that develops comprehensive capabilities while not forgetting its roots and upholding the traditional Vietnamese moral values of "first learn manners, then learn knowledge."

Ms. Thuy shared: "In his speech, the General Secretary reaffirmed that education is a top national priority. This is a very correct viewpoint because all developed countries consider education a top priority. Change in education means change from the root – to form citizens of the new century, with sufficient capacity to integrate and compete globally. Conversely, if education does not change, we will not be able to have the generation of global citizens we desire."

Not only students, but also education administrators like us are becoming more aware of our role in fulfilling the General Secretary's expectations and aspirations."

Do not impose old standards on modern education.

Dr. Dang Tu An, Director of the Vietnam General Education Innovation Support Fund, believes that General Secretary To Lam's speech at the opening ceremony of the new school year conveyed important messages, including emphasizing that "the entire Party must strongly innovate its leadership thinking regarding education, not imposing old standards on a modern education system, but needing close and substantive guidance," as well as that "investing in education is investing in the future of the nation."

According to Dr. An, first of all, it must be said that the Ministry of Education and Training organized a nationwide opening ceremony at one time, with teachers and students across the country singing the national anthem in unison and listening to the opening drumbeat, directly from the General Secretary, which is very special.

The resounding drumbeats echoed far and wide, reaching millions of teachers and students, and tens of thousands of schools across the country, who were joyfully singing and celebrating this great day for education. This can also be understood as the solemn opening ceremony of the new school year, the 80th anniversary of Vietnamese schools.

The General Secretary recalled President Ho Chi Minh's letter to students on the first day of school under independent education in September 1945, and quoted President Ho Chi Minh's instruction that Vietnamese education must be "an education that fully develops the inherent abilities of the children."

Students of Luong The Vinh Secondary and High School on the first day of the new school year.

In his speech, the General Secretary also stated, "The entire Party must strongly innovate its leadership thinking regarding education, not imposing old standards on a modern education system, but rather providing close, substantive guidance, organizing decisive, effective, and consistent implementation, considering education as a top national priority."

When implementing the new general education program with new teaching methods but with the same old people, there are still some instances of implementation following outdated and imposed approaches.

The General Secretary also reminded the education sector that it needs to "take the lead in innovating thinking, methods, and management; build a team of teachers who are both knowledgeable and ethical, and who aspire to contribute. Teachers must be shining examples and sources of inspiration for their students. Students must cultivate great ambitions and aspirations, study and train to become global citizens, gradually integrating into international standards while always maintaining Vietnamese identity and spirit."

Dr. Dang Tu An also stated that the nine major directions for educational and training reform include: Reforming thinking, using quality, equity, integration, and effectiveness as benchmarks; Ensuring equality in access to education, leaving no child behind; Comprehensive reform of general education: knowledge, character, and physical development; Creating breakthroughs in universities and vocational education, linking training with research and the market; Promoting international integration in education; Building a team of educators with knowledge, ethics, and a desire to contribute; Strongly applying digital transformation and AI in teaching and learning; Prioritizing investment and mobilizing social resources for education; Building a learning society and lifelong learning – all are important contents with great significance and urgency for education today.

The General Secretary expressed his hope that students would nurture their aspirations, master technology, and cultivate their character to become global citizens with Vietnamese identity. He also expressed gratitude to the teaching staff for their unwavering dedication, hoping they would continue to innovate, pioneer digital transformation, and maintain their role in guiding and inspiring students.

The General Secretary's message was further emphasized: Education and training, along with science and technology, are top national priorities. With a tradition of valuing education, dedicated teachers, and the support of the entire society, the education sector will continue to make significant contributions to the aspiration of a strong and prosperous Vietnam.

The final message strongly concluded by the General Secretary was: "Investing in education is investing in the future of the nation."