Vietnam localities to implement free textbook policies for 2026-2027 school year

Several regions in Vietnam are preparing to implement free textbook policies for the 2026-2027 school year, ahead of a nationwide mandate scheduled for the 2029-2030 academic year under Decree 271/2026/NĐ-CP.

Hanoi is developing a plan to provide free textbooks through a borrow-and-return model. The city's Department of Education and Training will coordinate with the Department of Finance to establish a roadmap that includes specific groups of students, including those in private educational institutions. Under this model, schools will equip libraries with textbooks that students borrow and return after use.

Currently, 13 localities across the country—including Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh, Ca Mau, Khanh Hoa, Nghe An, Gia Lai, and parts of Da Nang and Dong Nai—are expected to offer free textbooks starting in 2026-2027. These early adopters are utilizing local budgets or socialized funding to implement the policy. In Ho Chi Minh City, the initiative is expected to follow the borrow-and-return system to allow for multiple reuses of educational materials.