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Mai Thi Thu of Gia Dinh Ward, HCMC, queued under the scorching sun from early morning in search of a complete set of second-grade textbooks to send to her niece in Hanoi.

Thu is an aunt who has been visiting major bookstores across HCMC in an effort to find all the textbooks her niece needs for school in Hanoi. Although the family registered to buy the books through the school well in advance, her niece has so far managed to obtain only two second-semester books, while many bookstores in Hanoi have said they are out of stock.

On the morning of Sept. 8, Thu visited another three or four major bookstores in HCMC, but could only find a few books for supplementary subjects such as Art. Core textbooks for Vietnamese, Mathematics and Handwriting were all unavailable. Unable to find a complete set, she plans to photocopy the missing books for her niece to use temporarily and try again at the end of September if supplies return.

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At 10:30 a.m., VietNamNet observed hundreds of parents lining up to buy textbooks for their children at the Vietnam Education Publishing House outlet on Nguyen Van Cu Street in Cho Quan Ward, HCMC.
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Under HCMC’s sweltering sun, Nguyen Phuoc Lam’s shirt was soaked with sweat, but he continued to wait patiently for his turn to buy books. Before joining the line, he filled out a form listing the titles he needed so staff could prepare them in advance and help speed up the process when his turn came.
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Many parents have had to leave work unfinished, with some even taking an entire day off to travel from bookstore to bookstore looking for textbooks for their children. They said the school year officially began on Sept. 5, yet their children still did not have all the books they needed. Parents were therefore determined to find complete sets so their children could begin the new school year with peace of mind.
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After visiting several bookstores without finding a complete set, Vo Thi Thuong of Hanh Thong Ward, HCMC, decided to go directly to the Vietnam Education Publishing House, believing it would have all the required titles and save her from having to search elsewhere. Fortunately, she was able to buy a complete textbook set for her niece.
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For the 2026-2027 school year, students in HCMC and across the country are using the Connecting Knowledge with Life textbook series published by the Vietnam Education Publishing House.
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Bui Ngoc Dung of Hiep Phuoc Commune, HCMC, spent an entire day waiting in line to buy a textbook set for his niece or nephew studying in Dong Thap. He said the child’s family had searched for the books before the school year began but could not find a complete set, so they asked him to help. Despite standing under the sun until his clothes were soaked with sweat, Dung said he was happy that the child finally had all the books needed to attend school without worry.

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Speaking with VietNamNet, a representative of the Vietnam Education Publishing House said demand for textbooks in HCMC had surged unexpectedly as parents from many provinces and cities traveled to the city to buy books, driven by anxiety that their children still lacked complete sets as the new school year began.
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According to the representative, several changes this year caused localities to place textbook orders later than usual, which in turn affected printing and distribution schedules.
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Previously, the sales point served only a relatively small number of individual customers and operated with limited staff. Faced with the sharp increase in demand, however, the publisher has mobilized nearly 100 employees and erected additional tents to serve parents.
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The Vietnam Education Publishing House urged parents not to panic, saying additional textbooks are being continuously printed and transported to schools and localities. Parents who have already registered to buy textbooks through their children’s schools should wait patiently rather than simultaneously searching for books elsewhere and canceling their original orders, the publisher said, as doing so can complicate demand estimates and distribution.

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While waiting for books, students can study using teachers’ lessons and worksheets, access free digital versions on the Tap Huan website, or temporarily photocopy any books they are still missing.

The Vietnam Education Publishing House said it is mobilizing resources at maximum capacity and increasing staffing to replenish textbook supplies in the market.

The publisher maintained that overall supplies remain sufficient to meet demand and that the crowding seen in recent days has largely resulted from large numbers of parents attempting to buy books at the same time. It therefore urged families not to be overly concerned.

Tuan Hung