Youth Union members in Vũ Tiên Commune, Hưng Yên Province, guide local residents in using smartphones to access online public services. VNA/VNS Photo Thế Duyệt

HÀ NỘI — As Việt Nam transitions to a new two-tier local government model, Hưng Yên Province's Youth Union has launched a 30-day high-intensity campaign to promote digital literacy through community-based classes called Bình dân học vụ số (Digital Literacy for All).

The initiative aims to equip citizens with essential digital knowledge and skills, helping bridge the technology divide and foster a more inclusive digital society.

Under the slogan 'bringing digital knowledge to every home and every citizen', these grassroots classes are redefining adult education for the digital age. They are led not by professional teachers, but by local youth volunteers, who are tech-savvy, energetic and committed to empowering their communities.

In early July, despite the demanding rice planting season, farmer Trần Xuân Nghiêm from Vũ Tiên Commune rearranged his daily tasks to attend a night class hosted in the commune’s administrative hall.

Instead of chalkboards and textbooks, the classroom was illuminated by the glow of smartphones and computer screens.

These special classes are tailored for older residents like Nghiêm, who have little experience with digital tools. With patience and clarity, the young volunteers guide participants through using smartphones, accessing online public services and identifying online scams, especially impersonation schemes involving fake officials or banking messages.

Nghiêm recounted a recent scam attempt in his village, in which a senior resident received a call from someone posing as a commune police officer and instructing them to install a Level 2 electronic ID. Fortunately, the resident verified the call and avoided falling into the trap.

This is not an isolated case. Across Việt Nam, as administrative restructuring unfolds, scammers are exploiting the public's confusion, particularly targeting the elderly and those lacking digital literacy.

“The digital night school came at the perfect time,” said Nghiêm. “I’ve learned how to recognise fake government calls, fraudulent websites and how to protect my personal data.”

In Vũ Tiên Commune, youth volunteers like Trần Quốc Vấn, Secretary of the local Youth Union, have mobilised over 700 returning students for summer activities. From this group, standout members were selected to form the Digital Night School teams. Their mission is to help elderly and digitally underserved residents adapt to a rapidly digitising world, with a focus on using online public services and installing the VNeID app.

Beyond formal class settings, mobile volunteer teams go door-to-door to reach those unable to attend in person. The aim is to leave no one behind in the digital transition.

In Quỳnh Phụ Commune, 200 mostly elderly residents attended the local Youth Union’s first class, held on July 12. To expand the effort, four dedicated teams made up of 200 youth members were deployed to the commune’s administrative service centre. They also established Zalo groups to provide around-the-clock assistance with online procedures and troubleshooting.

This multi-pronged approach from in-person tutorials to online support ensures flexibility, accessibility and timeliness in reaching all demographics.

Secretary of the Hưng Yên Provincial Youth Union Thiệu Minh Quỳnh said that on July 1, the first day the two-tier government model was officially implemented, the province mobilised over 1,000 youth teams involving more than 20,000 volunteers to guide residents through online public services.

These teams were carefully selected from IT students, young civil servants and qualified volunteers. Assigned to each commune and neighbourhood, they were trained to tailor their teaching approaches to diverse audiences, including the elderly and socially vulnerable.

All 104 commune-level Youth Unions in the province were tasked with identifying and prioritising assistance for policy beneficiary families, former youth volunteers and those in difficult circumstances, delivering in-home support where needed.

Within just five days of the campaign's launch between July 7 and 11, more than 95,000 residents across Hưng Yên had received digital literacy training or support accessing e-government services through the Digital Night School initiative.

This grassroots movement, powered by youth and driven by empathy, embodies a bold vision for an inclusive digital future, one where no citizen is left behind in Việt Nam’s digital transformation journey. — VNS