Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính gives instruction at the conference. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Attention needs to be paid to education and training to create momentum for rapid and sustainable national development, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính said on Monday.

Attending the national online conference to summarise the 2023-2024 school year and deploy tasks for next, which was organised by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), the PM requested to effectively implement the motto: 'Students are centre, teachers are driving force, schools are support, families are fulcrum, society is foundation'.

He confirmed that general education programmes and textbooks innovations had initially achieved the set goals.

Universalising preschool education, primary education, junior secondary education and illiteracy eradication had gained comprehensive results.

In addition, higher education training was significantly improved. The number of teachers and educational managers were supplemented, better meeting the quantity requirements. The sector continued promoting digital transformation and information technology application.

Acknowledging, appreciating and warmly congratulating the education sector’s important achievements, the PM also frankly acknowledged the shortcomings, difficulties and challenges of the sector, especially in terms of curriculum innovation and teacher shortages in some regions.

Pointing out the causes and lessons learned, analysing the situation, key tasks and solutions for the 2024-2025 school year and the coming time, PM Chính said that globalisation and international integration were increasingly deepening.

The fourth industrial revolution had a strong impact on all areas of social life, bringing favourable opportunities, but also posed many new challenges for the education and training development, he said.

PM Chính required the sector to carry out key tasks for the coming school year, including improving the effectiveness of education management, summarising and comprehensively evaluating the general education programmes and textbooks innovation.

With next year the first with a high school graduation exam following the new education curriculum, he asked the MoET to preside over and, together with other ministries and localities, prepare carefully for the exam to ensure quality, safety, seriousness, efficiency and create the most favourable conditions for students.

The PM also requested to set up good environment to attract investment for education and training development, ensuring fairness and equality between the public and private sectors as well as promoting public-private cooperation.

He instructed the sector to plan a network of preschool, education for the disabled, higher education and educational colleges.

The MoET and relevant ministries should pay attention to construction planning, giving suitable land funds to build schools, meeting learning needs associated with urbanisation and population scale.

PM Chính reiterated late President Hồ Chí Minh’s teachings: “Universities need to combine scientific theory with practice. High schools need to ensure that students have solid, practical general knowledge. Primary schools should teach children to love the Fatherland, the people, love labour, science and respect public property and pay special attention to the children’s health. Families must closely work with schools, help schools educate and encourage children to study hard and live healthy lives”.

He directed the MoET, ministries, provinces and cities to prioritise resource for upgrading facilities, keep hygiene, security and safety of schools, clearly evaluate annual results to learn from experience and continue to do better in the coming time.

On the eve of the new school year 2024-2025, PM Chính wished all education managers, teachers and lecturers to always promote their sense of responsibility and enthusiasm for the profession, overcome all difficulties and challenges, persevere in the goal of comprehensive innovation in education and training.

They would meet the expectations of the Party, State and people and turn the Vietnamese people into a wise nation as late President Hồ Chí Minh always desired.

The PM wished the new school year 2024-2025 great success, teachers good health and happiness and for students to successfully realise their dreams and ambitions, contributing to building the homeland and the country to be more and more prosperous. — VNS