Vietnam provinces report teacher and textbook shortages

Educational institutions in Vietnam are facing significant shortages of teachers and textbooks at the start of the 2026-2027 school year.

In An Giang province, the Department of Education and Training reports a deficit of approximately 1,300 teachers, with shortages particularly concentrated in preschools and subjects such as English, IT, arts, and integrated subjects. Additionally, 26,443 students across 59 educational facilities lack sufficient textbooks, with a total shortage of nearly 102,000 copies. To manage the teacher deficit, some secondary and high schools have had to resort to hiring visiting lecturers.

In Bac Ninh city, the Department of Education and Training reported shortages of approximately 3% for primary school textbooks (97,000 copies) and 5.29% for secondary school textbooks (212,000 copies). Officials attributed the shortage to publishers running out of stock and being unable to meet local supply demands. To mitigate the issue, authorities are working with authorized distributors to ensure even distribution and are encouraging the community to donate used books from previous school years.