Vietnam proposes expanded lunch support for ethnic minority students

The Ministry of Education and Training is seeking public feedback on a draft decree to amend Decree No. 66/2025/ND-CP. The proposal aims to improve support for children and students in ethnic minority, mountainous, coastal, and island areas to reduce financial burdens on families and encourage school attendance.

A key highlight of the draft is the introduction of lunch support policies for primary and lower secondary students. The policy targets two main groups: students in extremely difficult mountainous or ethnic minority areas who do not currently receive boarding school benefits, and students from policy-eligible households residing in specific designated areas.

Unlike previous regulations that focused on students staying overnight at school, this proposal expands coverage to include students who only eat lunch at school, facilitating two-session-per-day teaching models. Funding and support levels are expected to follow existing government regulations regarding lunch assistance and educational organization.