From 2026, enrollment in grades 1 and 6 nationwide will be based on the principle of proximity to home.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son announced the information at a meeting with Quang Ninh province on May 15.

Accordingly, regarding the reorganization of administrative units, from the 2026-2027 school year, the primary school admission policy will change nationwide. Localities will no longer conduct admissions according to administrative boundaries (also known as by route) as at present. Instead, the admission principle will be applied to ensure that students attend the school closest to their actual residence.

Parents fight for the right to send their children to school near home at Tay Mo 3 Primary School in August 2024 (Photo: Thanh Dong).

This has been piloted by Ho Chi Minh City since 2023 on the basis of applying the Geographic Information System (GIS map).

Before the Ministry's policy, Hanoi also prepared to apply GIS mapping technology to enroll students in grades 1 and 6 based on the principle of proximity to home from the 2026-2027 school year.

Director of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training Tran The Cuong said that applying GIS will help calculate the exact distance from residence to school, ensuring that students study as close to home as possible. This will make it more convenient for parents to pick up and drop off their children, while reducing traffic pressure.

After the administrative units are reorganized and the government is organized into two levels, it is estimated that each commune and ward nationwide will have an average of 7,000 students. Kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools will be transferred from the district level to the commune level for management. Meanwhile, it is expected that there will be only two civil servants managingeducation at the commune level.

The Minister of Education and Training emphasized that it is necessary to prioritize ensuring the normal operation of educational institutions and not mechanically merge schools when changing administrative units.

"After stabilizing the apparatus and thoroughly evaluating all aspects, then we will review and reorganize if necessary. The Ministry will provide specific instructions on this," said Mr. Son.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/tu-2026-tuyen-sinh-lop-1-6-toan-quoc-theo-nguyen-tac-gan-nha-20250517072043678.htm