Party General Secretary To Lam (left) and Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son arrive at the opening ceremony of the 2025–2026 academic year in Hanoi on September 5.
The event at the National Convention Centre in Hanoi ran from 8 am to 9.30 am and was broadcast live to all schools nationwide. Attending were Party General Secretary To Lam, State President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, along with over 3,700 students, teachers and officials.
Addressing the ceremony, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said Vietnam now has more than 52,000 schools with 26 million students and 1.6 million teachers, as well as 243 universities and 800 colleges and vocational schools.
Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son speaks at the ceremony.
“This year marks the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s education system,” Son noted. “In 1945, nearly 95 per cent of the population was illiterate. After 80 years, the country has achieved universal education from age five through ninth grade. For many years, Vietnam has ranked among the top 10 countries in international Olympiads.”
From the 2025–2026 school year, tuition fees will be waived for all students from preschool to public high school nationwide.
Speaking to the media on September 4, Son said the ministry is finalising a draft policy on salaries, allowances and incentives for teachers. Under the plan, basic monthly salaries would increase by VND 2 million to VND 7 million (USD 79–277).
Students at A Luoi Secondary Boarding School in Hue City attend the 2025–2026 academic year on September 5.
Currently, around 1.05 million teachers are on the state payroll, with salaries ranging from VND 4.9 million to VND 15.87 million (USD 194–628) per month depending on level. In addition, teachers may receive allowances such as seniority pay (5 per cent after five years of service, rising by 1 per cent each year), professional incentives (30–70 per cent), leadership stipends, extra seniority pay, and special allowances for artisans, teachers of disabled students or those working in disadvantaged areas.
Teachers and students at An Hai Primary School in the central province of Quang Ngai's Ly Son Island.
The salary and allowance adjustments are expected to help address teacher shortages and ensure stable incomes for educators committed to the profession.
