Vietnam plans to supply students with free textbooks from 2029-30 academic year

The decree covers free textbooks for general education and sets out a roadmap for waiving tuition and course materials for national defense and security education at universities and vocational institutions.

This initiative aims to implement Resolution 71 of the Politburo on breakthrough development in education and training and to uphold the state’s legal mandate to ensure citizens’ right to education.

Shared library model for free textbooks

Under the draft, textbooks will be provided free through a shared library system.

The nation will invest in purchasing textbooks, including both print and Braille editions, to stock school libraries.

Students and teachers can borrow textbooks for an academic year or semester and return them for continued management and reuse.

Textbooks from the set designated by the Minister of Education and Training for nationwide use will be eligible for free use.

The nationwide implementation of free textbooks is planned for the 2029-30 school year.

However, localities with sufficient budget flexibility are encouraged to adopt the program earlier, prioritizing border areas, islands, ethnic minority regions, mountainous areas, and economically disadvantaged locations.

The government had previously issued Resolution 281, which stipulates an action program to implement Resolution 71.

A key measure in this program is to adopt a single nationwide textbook set starting from the 2026-27 school year.

Free textbooks, tuition for national defense, security education

The draft decree requires the state to supply free textbooks for national defense and security courses at universities and vocational schools, with materials distributed through library lending systems.

The policy is expected to take effect nationwide in the 2027–28 academic year.

In addition to receiving textbooks at no cost, students will be exempt from tuition fees for these compulsory classes, with the government covering the expenses for schools directly.

However, those who have to retake the course will not be eligible for the tuition waiver.

Strict prohibition on illegal fees

The draft decree specifies that the state budget will support these policies, while domestic and international organizations and individuals are encouraged to make contributions to educational institutions.

As per the draft decree, the management, procurement, allocation, and circulation of textbooks and course materials must be conducted transparently, with accountability and oversight.

Textbooks purchased with state funds are public assets, and any illegal collection of fees, provision of unauthorized materials, falsification of records, or misappropriation will be strictly prohibited and punished under the law.

The decree also emphasizes maximizing the use of existing textbooks and facilitating inter-library circulation to improve budget efficiency and reduce wastefulness.

Given the urgency of the policy, the Ministry of Education and Training has requested feedback from agencies, organizations, and individuals by April 4, allowing only a four-day consultation period, significantly shorter than the usual timeframe for draft legal documents.