Vietnamese Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng has instructed the Ministry of Education and Training to expedite the completion of facilities at newly opened boarding schools in remote border regions, alongside addressing a critical nationwide shortage of textbooks. During a meeting in Hà Nội, Hưng emphasized the urgency of these educational initiatives.
The Prime Minister called for the swift finalization of facilities at 108 multi-level boarding schools that commenced operations for the new academic year on September 5. Additionally, he set a deadline for the construction of 121 more schools by August 30, 2027. These efforts are part of a broader program under Politburo Resolution 71-NQ/TW, aimed at closing educational gaps and enhancing school access in disadvantaged areas, targeting a total of 248 boarding schools in border communes.
Hưng directed local authorities to evaluate the performance and educational quality of these new institutions, ensuring they are equipped with sufficient classrooms, educators, and resources. He also stressed the importance of utilizing enrollment data to better plan future educational facilities. Further, the Prime Minister asked the ministry to prepare comprehensive reports for an upcoming review of the implementation of Resolution 71, urging the identification of shortcomings and the proposal of corrective measures.
Concurrently, Hưng addressed the ongoing textbook shortage, mandating the education ministry to resolve a deficit of approximately 776,000 textbook sets by September 25. The shortage was attributed to failures in demand forecasting, ordering, publishing, and distribution processes. Hưng instructed the ministry to ascertain accountability for the shortage and to report their findings by October 10.
To prevent future shortages, Hưng advocated for diversifying textbook production and distribution while tightening quality controls. This approach aims to ensure that students across Vietnam receive the educational materials they require, thus maintaining the standard of education nationwide.