Pupils may be offered free textbooks from 2029

The Ministry of Education and Training has released a draft decree which shall regulate the provision of free-of-charge textbooks for learners nationwide, applicable since the 2029-2030 academic year.

Once the draft decree is approved by the Government, textbooks for general education programs will be provided through a shared library system. The State will fund the purchase of textbooks, including Braille editions, for school libraries, allowing students and teachers to borrow them for use during a semester or academic year and return them afterward for reuse.

Localities are encouraged to apply this policy earlier, with priority given to border areas, islands, ethnic minority and mountainous regions, and other disadvantaged areas.

The draft decree also proposes providing textbooks for the national defense and security education courses free of charge to students at universities and vocational institutions through a borrow-and-return system via libraries. This policy is expected to take effect nationwide from the 2027-2028 academic year.

In August 2025, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW on breakthrough development in education and training, which sets the target to provide free-of-charge textbooks to pupils nationwide by 2030.

The above move is seen as a step towards realizing the goal of ensuring equitable access to education, while reducing the financial burden for citizens, particularly students in disadvantaged areas or those from low-income families./.