At the 44th session, the National Assembly Standing Committee agreed on the draft Resolution of the National Assembly on exempting tuition fees for public preschool and primary school students from the 2025-2026 school year.

On the afternoon of April 25, continuing the 44th Session, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave opinions on the draft Resolution of the National Assembly on exempting tuition fees for public preschool and primary school students from the 2025-2026 school year.

Ensuring equity in access to education

Briefly presenting the report, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that, implementing the Conclusion of the Politburo in Official Dispatch No. 13594-CV/VPTW dated March 1, 2025 of the Central Party Office, on the basis of reviewing current regulations, in addition to the subjects exempted from, not having to pay tuition fees, and receiving tuition fee support as prescribed in current laws, the Resolution will supplement the subjects exempted from, and receiving tuition fee support that are not fully prescribed by law, namely: Preschool children under 5 years old studying at educational institutions; high school students, and students of the General Education Program at educational institutions.

According to the draft Resolution, the State will support tuition fees for both preschool children and high school students at public and private educational institutions to ensure access to education, demonstrate the superiority of the regime and implement a unified and fair policy for learners; encourage the development of non-public education, and enhance the socialization of education.

This regulation is consistent with the 2013 Constitution (taking care of preschool education; ensuring that primary education is compulsory, the State does not collect tuition fees; gradually universalizing secondary education), the Politburo's Conclusion in Official Dispatch No. 13594, Conclusion No. 91-KL/TW dated August 12, 2024 of the Politburo (9-year compulsory education) and the Law on Education.

Expected time to submit and promulgate the Resolution at the 9th Session of the 15th National Assembly to apply the policy from the 2025-2026 school year.

According to statistics for the 2023-2024 school year, the country currently has 23.2 million students (of which: 21.5 million public students, accounting for 93%; 1.7 million non-public students, accounting for 7%).

Number of students by level: 4.8 million preschool children (3.8 million public children; 1 million non-public children); 8.8 million primary school students; 6.5 million secondary school students and 2.99 million high school students. It is expected that the additional state budget to ensure when implementing the policy according to the National Assembly's Resolution is 8.2 trillion VND.

Briefly presenting the inspection report, Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh agreed with the necessity of issuing a Resolution on exemption and support of tuition fees for preschool children, high school students, and students of general education programs at educational institutions in the national education system.

The issuance of the Resolution aims to promptly institutionalize the Party's policies, demonstrate the superiority of our regime, ensure fairness in access to education and the State's responsibility towards learners, care for the young generation and ensure social security.

The draft Resolution stipulates the method of tuition support for learners paying through educational institutions. However, at the expanded preliminary review meeting of the Standing Committee of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee, the agencies agreed to implement the method of tuition support by providing it directly to learners; it is proposed to implement this method.

The drafting agency supplements regulations on implementation, assigning the Government to guide the method of paying tuition support for students in non-public educational institutions.

In addition, the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society requested the drafting agency to carefully assess the budget balancing capacity of localities, especially localities with difficult socio-economic conditions; supplement the implementation budget for students studying general education programs at continuing education institutions and other educational institutions teaching general education programs; supplement the regulation that the central budget supports localities that have not balanced their budgets according to the provisions of the law on the state budget.

Review of policy beneficiaries

Discussing at the Session, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai agreed with the necessity of issuing a Resolution on tuition exemption and support for preschool children, general education students, and students of general education programs at educational institutions in the national education system in order to promptly institutionalize the Party's policy, demonstrate the superiority of our regime, ensure fairness in access to education and the State's responsibility towards learners, care for the younger generation and ensure social security.

Requesting to reduce administrative procedures in the overall implementation, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai emphasized that the method of paying tuition support for students in non-public educational institutions must be appropriate, creating convenience for both schools and students; research is similar to the amount of state investment in education and can refer to the experience of other countries.

Regarding the budget for implementing the Resolution, Deputy Minister of Finance Nguyen Thanh Trung said that the Ministry of Finance is well aware that this is a common task and will be included in the total regular budget expenditure for the education sector.

According to the Deputy Minister of Finance, to ensure reasonableness and adequate budget allocation, it is necessary to ensure full assessment and supplementation of the number of students from preschool to high school, including public and non-public students in the 2024-2025 school year. The Ministry of Finance has coordinated and requested the Ministry of Education and Training to have a full assessment and synthesis so that in the next session, the Ministry of Finance has a basis for calculation, supplementation and arrangement in the budget.

Concluding the session, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Quang Phuong said that the National Assembly Standing Committee acknowledged and highly appreciated the efforts, proactiveness and positivity of the Government, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Finance, and agencies in the process of drafting the Resolution. The Standing Committee of the National Assembly's Committee for Culture and Society promptly organized a preliminary review.

The National Assembly Standing Committee agreed with the need to issue a Resolution on tuition exemption and support for preschool children and students in public, private and non-public schools. Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Quang Phuong requested the Government to study and fully absorb the opinions of the National Assembly Standing Committee; report on the preliminary examination to complete the draft Resolution dossier, and submit it to the National Assembly for approval at the 9th Session.

The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly requested the Government to direct the review of policy beneficiaries and clarify the basis for expansion and supplementation in the Submission and design appropriate provisions; study international experience to calculate appropriate methods; carefully evaluate the funding sources for implementation according to the opinion of the Ministry of Finance./.