The implementation time is from the beginning of the new school year 2025-2026 (September 2025 onwards). The Politburo assigned the Government Party Committee to direct the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Finance, a number of relevant ministries, branches and localities to coordinate in concretizing and seriously implementing the above decision.
In the 2024-2025 school year, 8 provinces and cities have announced 100% tuition exemption for students from kindergarten to grade 12, including: Da Nang, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai.
Recently, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council passed a resolution on tuition exemption policies for preschool children under 5 years old and public and non-public high school students in the city from the 2025-2026 school year.
Localities with conditions, implementing tuition exemption policies for public school students is very noteworthy, people in those localities have some benefits, reducing the burden of caring for their children's education.
However, overall, there will be unfairness. In poor provinces, people are disadvantaged because localities do not have resources to conduct free education. Meanwhile, policies to create values of education, health care and other benefits must be implemented nationwide so that people can enjoy them equally.
In the group discussion session on the morning of November 9, 2024 on the draft Law on Teachers, General Secretary To Lam said that the orientation of popularizing education must "move up", in the direction that children of school age must go to school. The General Secretary emphasized: "If we move forward, the State must nurture, then exempt tuition fees, and feed children of school age. Progress must be at that level."
And, just over 3 months after the above statement of General Secretary To Lam, the Politburo decided to exempt tuition fees for students from preschool to high school in public schools nationwide.
With the free policy for public schools, children of school age can go to school and have the same opportunity to study. That is fairness, civilization, and progress.
Some countries in the world have policies on free general education such as Finland, Sweden, Germany, etc., some countries are in the roadmap to achieve this goal, while the majority still collect tuition fees. Although Vietnam is still poor, free general education is a great effort.
The "era of rising up" of the country is not theories, theories, or slogans, but through specific products, material and spiritual values that people enjoy.
