Under the draft decree, the policy would not involve distributing books for permanent ownership. Instead, the state would allocate funding to equip school libraries with textbooks, which students could borrow and use at no cost throughout the academic year.

At the end of each term or school year, students would return the books, allowing them to be reused by future cohorts.

The ministry noted that localities with sufficient financial capacity are encouraged to implement the policy earlier. Priority would be given to border areas, islands, ethnic minority communities and regions facing particularly difficult socio-economic conditions.

According to the proposal, textbooks eligible for free use must belong to the official list approved by the Minister of Education and Training for nationwide application.

At the beginning of each school year or semester, every student would be provided with a full set of textbooks corresponding to their grade level and curriculum. Teachers would also be entitled to borrow complete sets covering all grades within the subjects they teach.

Both students and teachers would be required to return the books to school libraries after use. Schools would be responsible for distributing, collecting, maintaining and managing these materials.

The management process would be supported either through traditional record-keeping systems or dedicated library management software. Annual inventory checks would help determine the number of usable books and identify additional needs.

Balancing equity, efficiency and sustainability

The ministry emphasized that the policy must ensure fairness, proper targeting and nationwide consistency. The lending model is designed to optimize resource use, reduce waste and ease pressure on the state budget.

Schools would be encouraged to maximize the use of existing textbook stocks and coordinate sharing across institutions within the same locality before purchasing new materials.

This approach also aligns with environmental goals by promoting reuse and minimizing unnecessary printing.

In parallel, the government is encouraging the development of digital textbooks and online learning materials, reflecting the broader shift toward digital transformation in education.

The draft decree is currently open for feedback from relevant agencies, organizations and individuals until April 3.

If adopted, the policy would mark a significant step toward reducing education costs for families while ensuring more equitable access to learning resources across Vietnam.

Thanh Hung