On September 9, at the Government Headquarters, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister Le Tien Chau chaired a meeting on the situation of printing, issuing and supplying textbooks (textbooks) for the 2026-2027 school year.
Concluding the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the situation of not having enough textbooks shows that there are still inadequacies in forecasting, ordering, production, stockpiling, coordination and distribution.
The issue of management and supply of textbooks must be managed as for essential and special commodities, without emphasizing the profit factor, but the most important thing is to provide them promptly and fully, with prices strictly managed by the state," the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.
The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) to preside over and coordinate with localities; direct the Vietnam Education Publishing House to review and specifically identify areas, the number of shortages, and areas with surplus; on that basis, organize supplementary printing, transfer, and supplementary supply, ensuring that all students have enough textbooks; absolutely not to affect teaching and learning.
The Ministry of Education and Training directs and coordinates with suppliers and agents to publicize points of sale with goods, phone numbers/hotlines, online ordering channels; and at the same time provide addresses for exploiting textbooks, electronic materials... for parents and students to know.
At the same time, establish a rapid response working group, with a 24/7 standing department to receive feedback and coordinate books to each hot spot; publicize phone numbers.
Comprehensively review state management of textbooks, from determining needs, organizing production, stockpiling, issuance, distribution to inspection and supervision; review and evaluate the organization of production, stockpiling, network and issuance methods, mechanisms for transferring books between localities; develop reasonable contingency plans, not to be completely dependent on the number of orders from intermediary units.
The Ministry of Education and Training directs the Vietnam Education Publishing House to urgently review the entire system of agents and intermediary distribution units.
Review the price management mechanism and price-forming factors, ensuring that textbook prices are determined publicly, transparently, and reasonably, minimizing unnecessary intermediary costs.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade directs the market management force to strengthen inspection of textbook business at agents, promptly report to the Government and the Prime Minister; review issues of competition in the distribution system, and in case signs of restricted competition or violations of competition law are detected, handle them according to their authority.
People's Committees of provinces and cities organize inspections to each educational institution, not allowing students to lack books; closely coordinate with the Vietnam Education Publishing House and publishing units to transport, transfer, and supply in a timely manner; be responsible for reviewing and accurately summarizing the needs for textbooks in the area and sending them to the Ministry of Education and Training.
