New hopes from a special opening ceremony

Teachers, students, and learners across Dong Nai province officially entered the first day of the 2025-2026 school year with enthusiasm and determination. Their shared goal is to continue comprehensive innovation in teaching and learning, aiming to improve the quality of human resource training to serve the nation in this era of dynamic growth and prosperity.

Following a brief and solemn school-level opening ceremony across the province, teachers, students, and learners in Dong Nai tuned in to the national event marking the 80th anniversary of the education sector, combined with the launch of the 2025-2026 academic year. Organized by the Ministry of Education and Training, the ceremony was broadcast live on national television from the My Dinh National Convention Center in Hanoi.

Starting the school year with a spirit of innovation

Member of the Politburo and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the 80th-anniversary celebration of the education sector and the 2025-2026 school opening ceremony. Photo: MoET

Unlike previous years, this year's opening ceremony was divided into two parts. The first part, a short celebration organized by schools, lasted 60 minutes from 7 to 8 a.m. At 8 a.m., all schools watched the nationwide broadcast of the 80th-anniversary celebration combined with the school opening ceremony, organized by the Ministry of Education and Training.

Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Department of Education and Training (DoET), Do Dang Bao Linh, shared: "This year's opening ceremony is particularly special for Dong Nai students. It is not only the first school year following the provincial merger and the implementation of the two-tier local government model, but also positive signs of the Party and State's special policies for education, teachers, and students. Specifically, on August 22, 2025, General Secretary To Lam signed Politburo Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW on breakthrough development in education. Earlier, on July 18, the Politburo issued Notice No. 81-TB/TW on investing in schools in border communes."

Notably, starting from the 2025-2026 school year, tuition fees will be waived for pupils in public preschools and high schools nationwide, while pupils in private and non-public schools will also be considered for support. Moreover, teachers' salaries and incomes have been significantly improved and are expected to continue increasing. These measures serve as important motivation to enhance the overall quality of teaching and learning, not only for 2025-2026 but also as a driving force for future school years.

More than 1.2 million students, learners, and university students in Dong Nai directly watched the 80th-anniversary celebration of the education sector and the 2025-2026 school opening ceremony organized by the Ministry of Education and Training. Photo: Cong Nghia

Pham Thi Tram, principal of Loc Tan Secondary School in the border commune of Loc Tan, Dong Nai province, shared that the 2025-2026 school opening ceremony brought a noticeably more cheerful and energetic atmosphere for the school's leadership, teachers, and over 700 students compared to previous years. The joy stemmed from the Party and the State's growing focus on education through special policies supporting teachers and students, especially in remote areas, ethnic minority communities, and border regions. The school hopes that the provincial People's Committee's proposal to invest in educational infrastructure in border communes, including Loc Tan Secondary School, will be approved soon and implemented promptly during this school year.

Further motivation for education

Expressing hopes for comprehensive innovation in teaching and learning, Do Huy Khanh, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Phuoc An Commune People's Council, said that the commune is home to several major industrial zones, lies near Long Thanh Airport and Ho Chi Minh City, and, notably, the Phuoc An deep-water seaport has already begun operations. This undertaking represents a breakthrough development opportunity for Phuoc An. Still, such opportunities can only be realized if residents in the locality possess high-level skills, which must begin with a strong foundation in general education.

Do Huy Khanh added: "The Phuoc An Party Committee will continue to closely follow the Central and Dong Nai provincial directives, resolutions, and conclusions to develop education. In particular, it will seriously implement the guidance of comrade General Secretary To Lam at the 2025-2026 opening ceremony on September 5, taking decisive actions and regarding education as a sustainable and breakthrough-oriented strategy for Phuoc An in the new period."

Pupils in Dong Nai joyfully step into the new school year. Photo: Cong Nghia

Dr. Lam Thanh Hien, Principal of Lac Hong University in Tran Bien ward, expressed his appreciation for the school opening ceremony organized by the Ministry of Education and Training, particularly the guidance speech delivered by General Secretary To Lam. The General Secretary's directives reflected a long-term vision, comprehensive and in-depth innovation, and practical relevance, like the first valuable lesson of the new school year for teachers nationwide, as well as precious advice for today's youth.

Dr. Lam Thanh Hien noted that General Secretary To Lam has provided highly appropriate directions for educational reform in the new era. Education must undergo a fundamental transformation in both mindset and action, shifting from "corrective" reform toward a creative, developmental approach that drives national progress. Quality, equity, integration, and efficiency should serve as key benchmarks, while strict implementation discipline through education is essential in the current context.

By: Cong Nghia

Translated by: Thu Hien - Minho