Hai Phong City to Provide Free Textbooks to Students from 2027-2028 School Year

Hai Phong City, a major northern Vietnamese city, has decided to provide free textbooks to all primary, secondary, and high school students starting from the 2027-2028 academic year. This implementation will be two years ahead of the national schedule. According to the City Department of Education and Training, this policy is based on resolutions from the Central Party Committee aiming for breakthroughs in education and training development, and government decrees. The city conducted a thorough review of schools, classes, and student numbers, developing specific plans and estimated budgets for each educational level. These were then submitted to the City People's Committee for the proposal of free textbook implementation. Following this, Mr. Do Thanh Trung, Chairman of the Hai Phong City People's Committee, agreed to the implementation of free textbooks for students from the 2027-2028 academic year. In the 2026-2027 academic year, Hai Phong City has 1,002 primary, secondary, and continuing education institutions, with an estimated 22,043 classes and 810,681 students. The city's public and private educational institutions employ approximately 40,288 management staff and personnel, with 35,038 directly involved in teaching. The proposal from the City Department of Education and Training states that each student will be loaned a full set of textbooks for all subjects corresponding to their classroom curriculum. Additionally, each directly teaching teacher will also be loaned a full set of textbooks for all classes within their teaching level and subject. The initial estimated cost to equip 100% of students and teachers with free textbooks across the city is VND 241.517 billion (approximately over 10 billion JPY). Mr. Tieu Anh Phuong, Head of the Planning and Finance Department of the City Department of Education and Training, explained that the delay in implementing the free textbook policy from the 2026-2027 academic year was due to the centralized procurement method. Planning and procurement processes typically require preparation from June to July. However, high school students confirm their enrollment and select optional subjects from July to August. For the high school level, textbook demand is an estimate dependent on students' optional subject choices. Purchasing books in July 2026 could risk waste if the procured books are not used. This policy of free textbook provision has brought significant joy to the city's residents. Ms. Tran Thi Nga, a resident of Le Chan ward, shared her immense relief, stating that in addition to her children already benefiting from the city's tuition fee exemption policy, they will also receive free textbooks from the 2027-2028 academic year. As a self-employed individual with an unstable income, the annual cost of schooling has always been a significant concern. Many parents in Hai Phong City share Ms. Tran Thi Nga's sentiment. They view this as another policy demonstrating the city's pioneering role in implementing central government initiatives and prioritizing educational resource allocation. It not only reduces the financial burden of education for citizens but also aims at larger objectives such as enhancing educational quality, ensuring equitable access to education, building a learning society, and developing human resources to support the development of Hai Phong and the nation.