Towards free textbooks from 2030
After many years of implementing the policy of "one program, many textbooks", on August 22, 2025, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in education and training development, setting the requirement to ensure the provision of a unified set of textbooks nationwide.
The Government has also just issued an Action Program to implement Resolution No. 71. In particular, the Government requires the Ministry of Education and Training to review and complete the general education program, increase the duration of science, technology, and IT subjects. Ensure the provision of a unified set of textbooks nationwide for use from the 2026 - 2027 school year; implement a roadmap to 2030 to provide free textbooks for all students.
Currently, high schools across the country have chosen 1 of 3 textbooks approved by the Ministry of Education and Training for teaching. However, after a period of application, the above model revealed certain shortcomings. For example, a school mixes 2-3 sets of textbooks from one year to another, making it difficult for students to find and buy them next year...
Parents waiting for good news
Ms. Le Hai Van (Thanh Hoa) received information about the policy of unifying a set of textbooks nationwide from the 2026 - 2027 school year and said: "Our parents all support it. I am so tired of the school using a different type of textbook for each subject. My two children are 2 years apart but cannot use each other's books because after the school year, the school changes the type of book. Old books that are not used are very wasteful.
In particular, the policy of moving towards free textbooks is extremely humane, demonstrating the Party and State's concern for people's lives, we are looking forward to it".
Ms. Vu Ngoc Anh (Hanoi) expressed her hope that the new textbook set will have better quality than the current 3 sets of books, ensuring consistency and convenience for parents and students.
"The children are also used to the new curriculum and textbooks. I think that returning a set of books will not affect the curriculum if teachers continue to maintain the current teaching innovation methods" - Ms. Anh expressed.
Not only parents, teachers, and experts also agree with the Politburo's policy of unifying a set of textbooks shared nationwide. However, the concern is that unifying a set of shared textbooks is a big and difficult problem.
Dr. Vu Thu Huong, former lecturer of the Faculty of Primary Education, Hanoi National University of Education, an education expert, said that the most reasonable option in the current urgent context is to gather a group of education experts to study all 3 sets of books and add the old textbooks, thereby finding the viewpoint, layout, as well as presentation ideas that are most suitable for the psychology and qualifications of students.
"The biggest difficulty is probably the cost. However, it is not a concern as we have passed the difficult period and are able to invest a little in the future" - Dr. Vu Thu Huong shared.
