Vietnam Faces Textbook Shortages, Raising Concerns Over Illegal Photocopying

As the new school year commences in Vietnam, a significant shortage of textbooks is being reported in many areas, compelling parents to resort to expensive color photocopying services for their children's studies. This situation has raised concerns about potential copyright infringement and legal penalties. A woman selling textbooks in Pleiku shared that her sister frequently receives inquiries from parents unable to acquire complete sets of textbooks for their children, even after visiting seven to ten bookstores. Some parents have reportedly failed to gather all the necessary books. Similar textbook scarcity has been noted in Ho Chi Minh City, where parents queued at bookstores even before the school opening. Post-opening, some parents still lack complete sets and have been informed of waiting times until mid-September. Faced with this scarcity, some parents have turned to photocopy shops to obtain temporary study materials for their children. These services reportedly offer full-color photocopying of an entire textbook for approximately VND 150,000 (around $6 USD). Witnessing these direct encounters, the textbook seller questioned whether parents who photocopy entire textbooks due to scarcity might be violating copyright laws and facing penalties. She also raised concerns about legal responsibility: who bears it when a parent requests a full book copy from a shop? Furthermore, she inquired if a photocopy establishment independently printing and selling full textbooks would face different legal consequences compared to an individual parent copying just one set for their child's use. Under Vietnam's one-party system, educational material supply is often centrally managed. However, the current situation highlights a mismatch between demand and supply in local areas. Despite economic growth and increased investment in education, the stable provision of fundamental learning materials like textbooks remains a challenge. While copyright protection is legally established in Vietnam, balancing the right to education with copyright law, particularly concerning educational materials, is a pertinent issue.