Exempting all tuition fees for students from kindergarten to public high school promises to contribute to improving the quality of education, motivating the development of the younger generation, and at the same time bringing Vietnam closer to the goal of becoming a country with advanced education, meeting the requirements of the new era.
Social implications and impact on the education system
On February 28, 2025, at an important meeting of the Politburo, after listening to the Government's report on the ability to balance finances during and after the process of streamlining the political system's apparatus, the Politburo made a historic decision: Exempt all tuition fees for students from preschool to high school in public schools nationwide.
This decision will take effect from the 2025-2026 school year, marking an important turning point in Vietnam's education policy. More than 23.2 million students will benefit from this policy, which not only brings great joy to parents but also has profound implications for teachers and the entire national education system.
This decision clearly demonstrates the Party and State’s commitment to ensuring access to education for all citizens. Exempting tuition fees will help reduce the financial burden on millions of families, especially poor and near-poor households, thereby improving living standards and education quality.
According to statistics, the annual tuition fee for a student can range from several million to tens of millions of VND depending on the level of education, which puts a lot of pressure on low-income families. In addition, this decision also helps reduce the rate of school dropouts due to economic difficulties. In fact, many students, especially in remote areas, cannot continue to go to school due to lack of financial conditions.
The Politburo has just decided: Exempt all tuition fees for students from kindergarten to high school nationwide from the 2025-2026 school year. Photo: Tao Nga
The tuition-free policy will help ensure the right to education for all children, thereby promoting equality in education and creating equal development opportunities for all students. With this decision, the public education system will have to make significant adjustments to meet the growing needs of students.
Enrollment could increase as financial barriers are removed, requiring schools to improve teaching quality, expand facilities and increase teaching staff. This policy also creates new incentives for teachers. When parents no longer have to worry about tuition fees, they can focus more on supporting their children in the learning process. At the same time, teachers will receive investment attention from the government to ensure teaching quality.
Challenges and solutions
Exempting tuition fees for more than 23.2 million students requires the State budget to have a reasonable and sustainable spending plan. According to estimates, the total annual tuition fees that public schools collect from students is up to tens of thousands of billions of VND. To offset this budget, the Government needs to have a reasonable financial plan, possibly through budget reallocation or finding new sources of revenue.
One possible option is for the State to increase tax collection from other sources, such as corporate tax, personal income tax, or mobilize capital from education development funds. At the same time, the Government can call for support from international organizations or apply flexible financial measures to ensure a stable source of revenue for education.
One issue that needs to be carefully considered is the impact of this policy on the private school system. With tuition fees at public schools being completely exempted, some parents may shift their children to public schools instead of private schools.
Author of the article, journalist Le Tho Binh. Photo:
This may cause a decline in the number of students in private schools, forcing them to adjust their tuition policies or improve the quality of education to compete. However, private schools still have their own advantages such as flexible curricula, modern facilities and advanced educational models. Therefore, this policy can become a driving force for the private education system to innovate and develop in a more specialized direction.
Despite the many benefits, implementing free tuition also poses many challenges. First, ensuring the quality of teaching when the number of students increases dramatically is an issue that needs to be solved. The State needs to have a reasonable policy for recruiting, training and rewarding teachers to maintain the quality of education.
Second, the issue of physical facilities is also a major challenge. The increase in the number of students means that schools need to be expanded and upgraded, and fully equipped with learning facilities. This requires financial resources and time to implement. One possible solution is for the Government to cooperate with educational institutions, businesses and non-governmental organizations to mobilize resources for education.
Applying technology to teaching, such as online education and artificial intelligence, is also an effective way to optimize resources. The decision to exempt all tuition fees for students from kindergarten to high school in public schools is a strategic step, demonstrating the long-term vision of the Party and State in developing education.
This policy not only helps reduce the financial burden on families but also opens up equal learning opportunities for all children. However, to be successfully implemented, there needs to be close coordination between the Government, educational institutions and the whole society to ensure the education system operates stably, sustainably and effectively.
With careful preparation and determination from the State, this policy promises to contribute to improving the quality of education, motivating the development of the young generation, and at the same time bringing Vietnam closer to the goal of becoming a country with advanced education, meeting the requirements of the new era.
Source: https://danviet.vn/mien-hoc-phi-cho-232-trieu-hoc-sinh-buoc-ngoat-lich-su-cua-giao-duc-viet-nam-20250301145604469.htm
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