Lunch time of kindergarten children at Lý Nam Đế Preschool in northern Hưng Yên Province. VNA./VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – The Politburo’s Resolution No 71-NQ/TW on breakthrough development in education and training is set to serve as a cornerstone of Việt Nam’s strategic push for rapid and sustainable growth. It forms a key part of a policy 'tripod' alongside Resolution No 57-NQ/TW on science, technology and innovation, and Resolution No 59-NQ/TW on national digital transformation and international integration in the new context.

Tripod strategy for a new era

Resolution No 71 was signed by Party General Secretary Tô Lâm on August 22, following Resolutions No 57 and 59. All three documents share the spirit of 'breakthrough' and require innovation in mindset. Resolution No 59 marks a historic turning point in the nation’s international integration, identifying this as a strategic driver for the country’s new era. Meanwhile, Resolution No 57 stresses the need to innovate the law-making mindset to meet management requirements and encourage innovation. Resolution No 71 highlights the significance of breakthroughs in resources, motivation and new space for the development of education and training, with the State playing a key role and public investment leading and attracting social resources for the modernisation of the education system.

Regarding 'immediate actions needed' for international integration in the new phase, Lâm demanded that new thinking and actions in international integration must be incorporated into daily life. Accordingly, the awareness of harmonious, comprehensive, deep and effective international integration is a major strategic orientation of the Party.

The specific objectives set by the Party leader in Resolutions No 57 and No 71 are closely interconnected, maintaining a mutually supportive relationship with Resolution No 59’s goals.

Resolution No 57 envisions Việt Nam as a high-income and developed country by 2045, based on science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, with the digital economy expected to contribute at least 50 per cent to the nation’s GDP. The country aims to rank among the world’s top 30 countries in innovation and digital transformation and to have at least 10 globally competitive tech enterprises.

In the meantime, Resolution No 71 sets targets for building a modern, equal and high-quality education system, placing Việt Nam among the world's top 20 countries. High-quality human resources and science and technology talent will become a driving force and key competitive advantage for the country. The resolution also aims for at least five higher education institutions to rank among the world's top 100 universities in various fields.

Concretising the two resolutions will enable the successful implementation of Resolution No 59, ensuring Việt Nam’s deep integration in science, technology, innovation and education while capitalising on resources and favourable conditions to build an independent and resilient economy with rapid and sustainable development.

Boosting investment

Resolution No 71 acknowledges the education and training sector’s shortcomings such as insufficient access compared to advanced nations, stark disparities across regions, inadequate facilities and underdeveloped higher and vocational education, which are driven by limited investment and unsound regimes and policies for educators.

To address these gaps, the resolution underscores bold institutional reforms and strong investment in the sector. The State budget allocation for education must reach at least 20 per cent of total expenditure, giving priority to universities. It calls for special and superior preferential policies for educators, raising professional allowances to at least 70 per cent for teachers in general and preschool education, at least 30 per cent for staff, and 100 per cent for teachers in areas with particular difficulties, border regions, islands and ethnic minority-inhabited localities.

Higher education and vocational institutions will be granted full autonomy regardless of financial status. Financial and investment mechanisms will be fundamentally restructured, while expanded financial aid and preferential credit policies will ensure that no student drops out due to economic hardship.

The resolution also prioritises raising standards for educational facilities to meet regional and international benchmarks, securing land for new projects and offering tax and land-use incentives for domestic educational institutions. — VNA/VNS