The Ministry of Education and Training announces 10 outstanding achievements in 2025

1. The Politburo issued Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in the development of education and training, affirming that education and training are decisive factors shaping the future of the nation and a key driving force for the country’s breakthrough development

On August 22, 2025, the Politburo issued Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in the development of education and training. The Resolution reaffirmed the view that education and training are the top national policy and marked the first Party Resolution to affirm that education and training are decisive factors shaping the future of the nation and a key driving force for the country’s breakthrough development.

At the national conference on thoroughly grasping and implementing the Central Committee’s resolutions, including Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW, General Secretary To Lam emphasized that investment in education is an investment in nurturing and strengthening the nation’s “national vitality”, and an investment in the future of the nation. He affirmed that this is the most critical of all critical sectors, serving as a fundamental driver for productivity growth, breakthroughs in national competitiveness, and the cultivation of aspirations for development.

Previously, over more than ten years of implementing Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW on fundamental and comprehensive reform of education and training, Viet Nam achieved many important results, laying the foundation for breakthroughs in education and training development in the spirit of Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW.

2. Full exemption of tuition fees for students from preschool through public upper secondary education

The Party and the State have demonstrated special attention to education through numerous important guidelines and policy decisions. In addition to Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW, the Politburo has agreed on a series of strategic guidelines and decisions on education and training. These include the decision to fully exempt tuition fees for students from preschool through public upper secondary education nationwide; the approval in principle of establishing a National Target Program on the modernization and quality enhancement of education and training for the 2026–2035 period; and the agreement to invest in the construction of 248 boarding schools offering integrated primary and lower secondary education in mainland border communes, with 100 schools to be completed in 2026.

Based on the report of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Education and Training and opinions from several relevant agencies, General Secretary To Lam reached conclusions and agreed on the policy of organizing two-session-per-day schooling at primary and lower secondary schools (subject to the conditions of each locality), as well as State support for providing lunch meals to primary and lower secondary students in border communes.

These policies demonstrate the Party’s special attention to education and training and serve as an important political basis for the National Assembly and the Government, within their respective competences, to promulgate a series of legal normative documents to institutionalize and implement them.

3. Breakthrough in the development of the education institutional framework

The year 2025 is regarded as a breakthrough year in building the education institutional framework, with 99 laws, resolutions, decrees, and circulars issued or submitted for promulgation, reflecting the strong efforts and determination of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Four draft laws in the field of education and training were passed by the National Assembly this year, namely: the Law on Teachers; the Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Education; the (revised) Law on Higher Education; and the (revised) Law on Vocational Education.

Also during the year, the Ministry of Education and Training took the lead in advising on the drafting and submission to the National Assembly for promulgation of four resolutions, namely: the Resolution on universalizing preschool education for children aged 3–5; the Resolution on tuition fee exemption and support for preschool children, general education students, and learners in general education programs within institutions of the national education system; the Resolution on a number of specific and exceptional mechanisms and policies to implement breakthroughs in education and training development; and the Resolution on the investment policy for the National Target Program on the modernization and quality enhancement of education and training for the 2026–2035 period.

These resolutions constitute important and comprehensive legal foundations for the operation of a modern, coherent, and effective education system in the coming period.

In 2025, the Ministry of Education and Training also completed 31 legal documents within the competence of the Government and the Prime Minister; 60 documents within the competence of the Minister. Many new policies were issued, numerous bottlenecks were removed, and the education institutional framework was not only further improved but also closely aligned with practical realities, thereby creating new momentum for the development of education and training.

4. The First Congress of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Education and Training for the 2025–2030 term

On August 21, the First Congress of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Education and Training for the 2025–2030 term was held against the backdrop of the country achieving many major accomplishments, affirming its stature, potential, position, and increasingly solid international prestige.

The Congress was of special significance, setting out strategic orientations for the education and training sector to continue its renewal and quality enhancement, meet the requirements for developing high-quality human resources, and contribute to the realization of the country’s socio-economic development goals during the 2025–2030 term.

5. Successfully organizing a series of important and meaningful events and activities

From August 28, within the framework of the Exhibition of national achievements themed “80 Years – The Journey of Independence, Freedom and Happiness”, the Ministry of Education and Training organized the Exhibition titled “80 Years of Education for national development”. The exhibition served as an occasion to honor the outstanding achievements of the education sector, affirm the pivotal role and historic mission of education in the cause of national construction, defense, and international integration; and at the same time spread the spirit of “respect for teachers and reverence for learning”, inspiring generations of pupils and students to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and contribute to building an increasingly prosperous, civilized, and happy country.

The ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Education sector’s tradition, held in conjunction with the opening ceremony of the new academic year on the morning of September 5, was an unprecedented and special event, attended by leaders of the Party and the State, leaders of provinces and cities; as well as approximately 26 million pupils and students and 1.6 million teachers studying and teaching at more than 50,000 educational institutions nationwide. This event was not only an opportunity to look back on the proud achievements of the Education sector over 80 years of nation-building, but also an occasion to demonstrate the special attention of the Party and State leadership, together with the whole society, to the cause of "human development and education".

In 2025, the 8th Patriotic Emulation Congress of the education sector (2020–2025) was held in conjunction with the Celebration of Viet Nam Teachers’ Day on November 20. The Congress was not only an occasion to honor more than 300 exemplary collectives and individuals from educational and training institutions, but also a great source of spiritual encouragement, inspiring confidence, pride, aspiration, and the determination to strive among every teacher, staff member in the education sector, as well as every pupil and student.

6. The Ministry of Education and Training reorganizes and streamlines its organizational apparatus

In 2025, implementing the Plan of the Steering Committee for reviewing the implementation of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW on reorganizing the organizational apparatus of the political system in a streamlined, effective, and efficient manner, the Ministry of Education and Training submitted to the Government for promulgation Decree No. 37/2025/ND-CP dated February 26, 2025, stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training.

The organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training comprises 18 units, including the reduction of one General Department to a Department and the reduction of six Departments. The Ministry also completed the transfer of state management functions over vocational education from the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, and reorganized the Ministry’s Inspectorate under the Government Inspectorate. In implementing the two-level local government model, the Ministry of Education and Training advised on and promulgated, within its competence, two Decrees and six Circulars on decentralization and division of powers between the two levels of local government (under which the Ministry decentralized and delegated 87 out of 181 tasks to local authorities, accounting for 46.5%); established six inspection teams and issued numerous documents to address difficulties; and organized online training courses for 50,000 commune-level officials and principals of general education schools at 3,343 access points nationwide.

7. Completion of the full cycle of reform of the general education curriculum and textbooks; organization of the first upper secondary school graduation examination under the 2018 General Education Program

The year 2025 marked the completion of a full cycle of implementing the general education curriculum and textbooks from grade 1 through grade 12, achieving substantial results in both breadth and depth and meeting the objective of comprehensive reform at the general education level.

The year 2025 also saw the Ministry of Education and Training implement the policy of using a unified set of textbooks nationwide starting from the 2026–2027 academic year, with free provision to all students by 2030, in accordance with Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW of the Politburo and the National Assembly’s resolution on a number of specific and exceptional mechanisms and policies to achieve breakthroughs in education and training development.

The 2025 upper secondary school graduation examination was the first to be administered for students following the 2018 General Education Program, while still ensuring examination arrangements for students under the 2006 General Education Program. It was the largest such examination ever held, with more than 1.1 million candidates registered, an increase of nearly 100,000 candidates compared to 2024.

8. Elite education continued to be strengthened and achieved many commendable results

In 2025, Vietnam sent seven delegations with a total of 37 students to participate in international and regional Olympiad competitions. As a result, all contestants won awards, including 13 Gold Medals, 16 Silver Medals, and 8 Bronze Medals—an increase of one Gold Medal and one Silver Medal compared to 2024, marking the highest achievement in many years.

In their first-ever participation, all eight members of Vietnam’s national team competing in the 2025 International Artificial Intelligence Olympiad won awards, including 3 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal, 3 Bronze Medals, and 1 Certificate of Merit, placing Vietnam 4th out of 60 participating countries.

Vietnamese students also achieved outstanding results at the 2nd International Mathematical Olympiad in Turkmenistan; the 9th European Physics Olympiad in Bulgaria; the Mendeleev International Chemistry Olympiad; the Abu Rayhan-Beruni International Chemistry Olympiad; and the Artificial Intelligence Olympiad in China.

Notably, 2025 marked the first time that the Vietnamese delegation attained its highest-ever achievements at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the United States, winning two Second Prizes, one Third Prize, four Fourth Prizes, and four Special Awards from sponsors. This represents the best performance since Vietnam began participating in ISEF in 2013.

These outstanding accomplishments further affirm Vietnam’s position in the region and globally, while also reflecting the remarkable advancement of general education.

9. Higher education made significant breakthroughs, enhanced the nation’s standing, and developed key human resources for the country’s future.

In 2025, the Ministry of Education and Training proposed and implemented a number of key initiatives focused on the development of science and technology, innovation, and the training of high-quality human resources.

Higher education recorded a marked breakthrough, as for the first time as many as 16 Vietnamese higher education institutions were included in the THE Impact Rankings. Enrollment in STEM disciplines increased significantly, with the number of candidates listing these programs as their first choice rising by 10.5%. The higher admission cut-off scores for teacher education programs, strategic technology fields, engineering and applied sciences, and semiconductor-related training reflect growing public confidence and the renewed attractiveness of teacher education and science and engineering disciplines.

10. A strong imprint of digital transformation in education, coupled with the implementation of English as a second language in schools and the development of high-quality human resources.

In 2025, digital transformation activities in the Education sector continued to record many significant milestones. The Education sector’s database system was largely completed, with 24.55 million records connected to the national database. The online examination registration and admissions system on the National Public Service Portal was fully upgraded to an “end-to-end” level, enabling 100% of candidates to register for the upper secondary school graduation examination and apply for admission to universities and colleges entirely online.