Speaking at the Government’s regular press briefing for April on May 4, MoET Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong announced that the ministry had selected the Kết nối tri thức với cuộc sống (lit. Connecting Knowledge with Life) textbook series for nationwide use.

According to the ministry, the move aligns with resolutions of the Party and Government, which aim to standardise textbooks nationwide and eventually provide free textbooks for students by 2030.

However, developing a completely new textbook set would require two to three years and significant resources, making it unfeasible within the current timeline.

“To compile a new set of textbooks, we would need 2–3 years and a large team of authors and resources, which is not possible given the time constraints,” Thuong said.

Vietnam’s current general education curriculum is being implemented with three textbook series Cánh Diều (Kite), Chân Trời Sáng Tạo (Creative Horizon), and Connecting Knowledge with Life. Following a review process involving experts and local authorities, the MoET selected the third, published by Vietnam Education Publishing House, as the unified set.

The decision was approved by the Minister on December 26, 2025 to ensure sufficient preparation time for the upcoming school year.

To ensure consistent implementation, the MoET has issued guidance requiring localities to use the selected textbook set nationwide. It emphasises that textbooks are only teaching materials and that instruction should remain aligned with the national curriculum.

The Deputy Minister also stressed the need to avoid waste by making use of previously issued materials where appropriate.

In parallel, the MoET has directed a review and revision of textbook content, particularly in subjects such as history, geography, and civic education, to reflect administrative boundary adjustments under the new two-tier local government model.

Printing and distribution have been required to be completed at least 20 days before the start of the school year. Textbooks have already been printed and stocked, with prices reduced by an average of 13.3%.

The MoET has also conducted targeted teacher training sessions, focusing on practical challenges to ensure effective implementation in the upcoming academic year.

Deputy Minister Thuong underscored that adopting a single textbook set does not mean rigid teaching from one source. Teachers and students are encouraged to use supplementary materials to enrich learning, in line with the shift from knowledge-based instruction to competency-based education.

According to the official, the education sector plans to continue refining the curriculum to make it more streamlined while strengthening content related to science, technology, innovation, STEM education (science-technology-engineering-mathematics), digital transformation, and artificial intelligence.

“The goal is to ensure a streamlined curriculum that reduces overload while still developing students’ competencies and qualities,” he said.

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