Debate on the proposal that 'localities with conditions will implement free textbooks first'

Delegates expressed many opinions on the proposal of the Ministry of Education and Training that localities with conditions should first implement free textbooks for students.

During the discussion on the draft resolution of the National Assembly on a number of special and outstanding mechanisms and policies to make breakthroughs in education and training development, a number of National Assembly deputies expressed disagreement when the Ministry of Education and Training proposed implementing the policy of free textbooks first in localities with conditions.

Delegate Ta Van Ha, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Social Affairs

PHOTO: NGUYEN HUNG

These exchanges took place this morning, November 8, at the 4th plenary meeting of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society.

According to the draft resolution version dated November 6 proposed by the Ministry of Education and Training, the Minister of Education and Training decided on a set of general education textbooks to be used uniformly nationwide, implemented from the 2026-2027 school year.

By 2030, the whole country will complete the implementation of providing free textbooks to students; for localities with conditions, free textbooks will be implemented from the 2026-2027 school year.

According to delegate Ta Van Ha, Vice Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Society, the proposal of "localities with conditions will implement free textbooks from the 2026-2027 school year" of the Ministry of Education and Training is "problematic" if viewed from the perspective of fairness in learning opportunities. Clause 3, Article 61 of the 2013 Constitution also stipulates: "The State prioritizes the development of education in mountainous areas, islands, ethnic minority areas and areas with especially difficult socio-economic conditions...".

The Law on Education also stipulates the issue of ensuring fairness in education. Therefore, in the free textbook policy, the State must take care of the disadvantaged first. This means that in disadvantaged localities, the State must support to prioritize students in those localities to enjoy the free textbook policy first.

Should encourage places with conditions to support poor places

"If we stipulate that localities have the conditions to implement free textbooks from the 2026-2027 school year (while the whole country will complete this policy by 2030 - PV), it means that in rich localities, students will have priority. While from the perspective of children's rights, in terms of ensuring fairness, we should start from supporting the disadvantaged. I think it is necessary to study and consider this regulation further," said Mr. Ta Van Ha.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh chaired the 4th plenary session of the committee.

PHOTO: NGUYEN HUNG

Delegate Pham Khanh Phong Lan also expressed agreement with Mr. Ta Van Ha's opinion, raising the issue that localities have the conditions to implement the free policy first, while the whole country completes this policy by 2030, which is illogical in the approach to equitable education.

Chairman of the Committee for Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh commented: "Mr. Ha has the right idea about the fair approach to education. Maybe we also have good intentions, encouraging localities that have the conditions to do it first. But from there, the story arises as Mr. Ha said, students in provinces without conditions are mostly poor students and are not as good as students in provinces with better conditions, that is also something that needs to be thought about."

Mr. Nguyen Dac Vinh proposed a solution that the agency drafting the draft resolution (Ministry of Education and Training) could remove the statement that "localities with conditions will implement free textbooks from 2026 - 2027".

Instead, encourage the following two things: mobilize social resources to support disadvantaged areas, and allow localities with conditions to support more disadvantaged localities (for example, Ho Chi Minh City can buy textbooks to donate to libraries in Lai Chau).

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tranh-luan-ve-de-xuat-dia-phuong-co-dieu-kien-se-thuc-hien-truoc-viec-mien-phi-sach-giao-khoa-185251108172048514.htm