Vietnam to provide free textbooks for all students from the 2029-2030 school year
Vietnam will provide free textbooks to all students nationwide from the 2029-2030 school year, with books distributed through a lending system that allows them to be reused multiple times.
The government has issued Decree No. 271/2026/ND-CP, providing free textbooks for general education students and free tuition and course materials for national defense and security education at higher education and vocational institutions.
Under the decree, the policy will cover students enrolled in programs issued by the Ministry of Education and Training, including general education, continuing education at lower- and upper-secondary levels, and literacy programs.
Textbooks will be provided through a borrow-and-return system to enable repeated use. Schools will be required to make full use of existing textbooks and redistribute them through local library networks before purchasing new copies, helping reduce budget pressure, protect the environment, minimize waste and improve the management of public assets.
The free textbooks will come from the national list approved by the Minister of Education and Training, including adapted textbooks and alternative learning materials for students with disabilities.
At the beginning of each school year or semester, every student will be able to borrow a full set of textbooks covering all subjects and educational activities under the curriculum. The books must be returned to the school library at the end of the school year or semester.
Students transferring to another school must return all borrowed textbooks before completing transfer procedures. Receiving schools will be responsible for providing textbooks as soon as students enroll to ensure their studies are not disrupted.
The decree also requires school libraries to manage textbooks in line with library standards for preschool and general education institutions issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.
By June 15 each year, schools must complete the receipt, inventory and storage of textbooks for the upcoming school year, update library management systems, and label and classify books so they are ready for lending.
The state will fund the procurement of textbooks for school libraries to support the lending program.
The government will also encourage the development of digital textbooks and other digital learning materials to improve access to educational resources in line with the country's digital transformation in education.
Under the roadmap, all students nationwide will receive free textbooks from the 2029-2030 school year. Provinces and cities with sufficient financial resources or the ability to mobilize private funding are encouraged to introduce the policy earlier, with priority given to border and island areas, ethnic minority and mountainous communities, and and disadvantaged socio-economic areas.
Hai Phong News