Full address of Party General Secretary To Lam at the ceremony celebrating the 80th anniversary of the education sector and the start of the new academic year 2025–2026

Respected leaders and former leaders of the Party, the State, and the Viet Nam Fatherland Front,

Respected senior teachers, leaders, and former leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training, representatives of leadership from ministries, agencies, Ha Noi City, and international friends,

Respected teachers and beloved students across the country,

Today, as the entire country has just celebrated the 80th Anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day of September 2, we are gathered here for the opening ceremony of the new academic year, commemorating the 80th Anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s first letter to students nationwide, and the 80th founding anniversary of the Ministry of National Education – the predecessor of today’s Ministry of Education and Training.

This is an occasion for us to look back on the glorious tradition, to pay tribute to the contributions of generations of teachers and education managers across the country. At the same time, it is also an opportunity to reaffirm our strong determination to comprehensively reform, so that education truly becomes the top national policy, the decisive driving force for the country’s development and the nation’s future.

On behalf of the leadership of the Party and the State, I would like to extend my warmest greetings and best congratulations to teachers, education managers, and all students across the country. I am confident that the sector would continue making breakthroughs, living up to the nation’s tradition of valuing learning and aspiration to rise. Congratulations to the Ministry of Education and Training on being awarded the First-Class Labor Order.

Dear distinguished guests, teachers, and beloved students, 

Our ancestors taught us: “Learning must go hand in hand with practice,” and “Virtuous and talented people are the vital essence of the nation.” President Ho Chi Minh, in his letter to students on the first school opening day in September 1945, wrote: “From this moment on, you begin to receive an entirely Vietnamese education… to absorb the education of an independent country, an education that will train you to become useful citizens of Viet Nam, an education that will fully develop your inherent abilities.” Those teachings have always been, and continue to be, the goal to strive for and the guiding principle of our national education.

Eighty years ago, right after the success of the August Revolution, the Provisional Government established the Ministry of National Education - a strategic decision that laid the foundation for the new education of an independent Viet Nam. At the same time, the “Mass Education” movement rose vigorously with the motto “those who know how to read and write teach those who do not.” The fight against illiteracy became the “first front” to raise the people’s intellectual level and unlock human resources for nation-building. Recalling those sacred moments, we are all the more grateful for the immense contributions of President Ho Chi Minh and the pioneering generations, and we acknowledge the great devotion of generations of teachers who have always given their all “for the beloved students” and for the cause of education.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Over the past 80 years, whether in the flames of war or in the process of national construction during peacetime, revolutionary education in Viet Nam has always stood at the forefront: providing human resources, nurturing talent, and playing a decisive role in national liberation, reunification, and development. Since the launch of Doi Moi (renewal), the education and training sector has expanded its network, improved quality, and gradually embraced global integration. 

Despite these gains, uneven educational quality and persistent regional disparities. The process of fundamental and comprehensive reform has areas of inconsistency, and there is still confusion both in perception and in implementation. Higher education has been slow to reform; the linkage between training, research, and the labor market remains weak. Teaching methods in many places have yet to encourage creativity and self-learning capacity. Infrastructure, digital transformation, and international integration are still limited and inadequate. At times, education has not fully played its role as a driving force for development. These are issues that demand our determined effort to overcome.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Viet Nam is entering a new stage of development, with the goal of becoming a modern industrialized nation by 2030 and a developed, high-income nation by 2045. In the context of globalization, the knowledge economy, and the rapid advancement of science, technology, and digital transformation, education and training must all the more firmly maintain their position as the foremost national policy, becoming a key driving force for national development.

Recently, the Politburo has issued Resolution No. 71 on breakthroughs in education and training development. This month, the Party Secretariat will convene a national conference to thoroughly study and implement this resolution. This is a resolution of exceptional importance, carrying a strategic vision, with broad and concrete goals, as well as strong, breakthrough tasks and solutions, to bring Viet Nam’s education and training into the mainstream of global education. To quickly translate the resolution into reality, I propose:

The entire Party must profoundly renew its leadership mindset toward education, avoiding the imposition of outdated standards on a modern education system, while ensuring close, substantive, decisive, and effective direction, consistently treating education as the nation’s top priority.

The National Assembly must continue to perfect the legal system, creating a transparent, stable, and modern legal framework for the cause of educational reform.

The Government is directed to ramp up investment in financial resources, infrastructure, and personnel, while dismantling institutional barriers to mobilize societal support. 

The Viet Nam Fatherland Front, mass organizations, and social groups are tasked with fostering unity and spreading a nationwide movement to nurture future generations.

The education sector itself must lead the charge by reforming teaching methods, governance, and mindset. A dedicated cadre of teachers, blending expertise, ethics, and passion, should inspire students. Students, in turn, should be encouraged to nurture ambition, aspiring to become global citizens who meet international benchmarks while retaining the Vietnamese identity.

To successfully carry out the cause of educational and training reform in this new phase, I would like to emphasize several major directions:

First, strongly renewing both our mindset and our actions. We must shift from reform as “adjustment” to a constructive mindset - one that leads national development through education. Quality, equity, integration, and efficiency must be the guiding principles, with strict discipline in execution.

Second, ensuring equal access to education and raising the overall intellectual standard of our people. No child must be left behind; priority must be given to remote, mountainous, border, island, and disadvantaged areas. Investment must be increased in schools, student nutrition, teacher training, and digital infrastructure. Recently, we have introduced tuition-free education for all students from preschool through the end of upper secondary school. In some localities, free lunches have also been provided for children attending two sessions per day. The Politburo has also issued a conclusion on the policy of investing in the construction of multi-level boarding schools in 248 land-border communes. In the immediate future, the pilot program will complete the construction of new schools or the renovation of 100 schools in 2025, with completion no later than the start of the next academic year.

Third, reforming general education towards comprehensiveness, going beyond knowledge transfer to shape character, foster physical development, nurture emotional growth, and instill civic responsibility and discipline. The aim is to cultivate a generation that is “talented, compassionate, and resilient”, with universal secondary education achieved as soon as possible.

Fourth, singling out higher education and vocational training for transformation. Universities must evolve into hubs of knowledge creation and technology transfer, fueling innovation and entrepreneurship. Training, research, and application should align with Viet Nam’s development needs. Viet Nam should build major universities of global and regional standing and modern vocational training establishments to produce a skilled workforce capable of advancing sci-tech, industrialization, and digital transformation.

Fifth, promoting international integration in education to learn from global best practices, narrow gaps, and spread standards. Joint training, programme linkages, credit recognition, exchanges of lecturers and students, and attracting international scholars are encouraged, thus improving the position of the education sector.

Sixth, building a strong team of teachers and education managers, as teachers being the “soul of education” and the decisive factor in the success or failure of educational reform. Beyond imparting knowledge, teachers nurture aspirations, shape character, and inspire confidence in students, so educators must continually learn, innovate, and set exemplary examples. The newly adopted Law on Teachers provides a foundation to improve teachers’ living conditions, safeguard their rights and benefits, and at the same time raise professional standards, ethics, responsibility, and social status.

Seventh, accelerating digital transformation and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. Technology must become the driving force for fundamental and comprehensive reform, encompassing flexible teaching and learning, open educational resources, safe and human-centered digital platforms, enhancing digital competence for teachers and students, and ensuring data security and safety.

Eighth, prioritizing investment in education as an investment in the nation’s future. There should be comprehensive planning and restructuring of the educational system, particularly public universities, to form training - research - innovation centres on par with the region and reaching international standards. There is a need for efficient public spending without dispersion, stronger public–private partnerships, and broad mobilization of social resources to advance education and human development.

Ninth, building a learning society and promoting lifelong learning. In the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, knowledge changes by the day, by the hour; what is considered advanced today may become outdated tomorrow. Therefore, learning is not only an individual need but, above all, must be regarded as a political responsibility and a continuous revolutionary act of every citizen. At any age, in any field or profession, we must learn to avoid falling behind, to master knowledge and technology, to develop ourselves, and to contribute to building a prosperous and powerful nation. 

Building a learning society and promoting lifelong learning will help form the strongest foundation for a self-reliant nation. Lifelong learning is not only an individual’s asset but also a core national value, ensuring that Viet Nam advances with the times and asserts its intelligence and identity in the international arena.

Dear students, 

On the occasion of the opening of the 2025–2026 academic year, I would like to remind our students of a few points: Previous generations achieved victory through sacrifice and blood; today, in a time of peace, integration, and aspirations for advancement, it is your generation’s responsibility to achieve new victories through knowledge, courage, and creativity. Therefore, you should: (1) set clear goals, practice self-discipline in learning, and nurture curiosity; (2) strengthen your capacity to master digital technology and AI in a smart, safe, and humane way; (3) live with love, responsibility, and a sense of community. 

Every step forward is the future of the country. Younger students should practice well the “Five teachings of Uncle Ho.” Secondary school students should cultivate character, civic awareness, enrich knowledge, and nurture aspirations. University students should foster great ambitions, dare to think and act, and take the lead in science, technology, innovation, digital transformation, the green economy, and international integration. You should study and train to become valuable contributors to your families and society.

Dear teachers and education managers, 

Over the past 80 years, Vietnamese educators have silently yet steadfastly made tremendous sacrifices and contributions to the noble cause of “nurturing people.” On behalf of the Party and the State leadership, I would like to express my profound gratitude and sincere appreciation to generations of teachers. In this new stage, I hope that you will: (1) Continue to set examples, innovate teaching methods, and guide your students on the path of knowledge and character;

(2) Take the lead in digital transformation, instructing students to use technology, especially artificial intelligence, creatively, effectively, safely, and humanely; (3) Actively participate in policy-making and work with the entire sector to improve quality and equity in education.

Dear distinguished guests, teachers, and students, 

The Party of Viet Nam has always regarded education and training as a top national priority and a decisive motivation for the nation’s future. More than ever, investment in education must be seen as an investment for the sustainable and prosperous development of the country. 

The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s letter to students and the 80th founding anniversary of the Ministry of Education today is not only an occasion to recall our proud traditions, but more importantly, to reaffirm our determination: to build a modern, humane, and internationally integrated Vietnamese education system - one that contributes to the nation’s honor and enables our country to stand shoulder to shoulder with the great powers of the world.

I called on the entire Party, people, and army; sectors, localities, and every family and individual to join hands in caring for the cause of educating people, for the prosperity of the nation, and the happiness of the people.

With the tradition of valuing learning, with a dedicated cadre of teachers, with the striving spirit of students nationwide, and with the care of the whole society, I firmly believe that our education sector will continue to overcome challenges, achieve great accomplishments, and contribute to realizing the aspiration of building a strong, prosperous Viet Nam.

On the occasion of the start of the new academic year, I wish all teachers, parents, and students across the country a school year full of vigor, success, and joy!

Thank you very much!