Key Takeaways
- Ministry of Education drafts decree for free K-12 textbooks starting school year 2029-2030.
- 18 million students to benefit, reducing education costs especially for rural families.
- Estimated budget: 3-5 trillion VND annually from the state budget.
- Three-phase rollout: primary (2029), lower secondary (2030), upper secondary (2031).
- Over 60 countries already provide free textbooks; Vietnam is following a global trend.
What Is the Free Textbook Policy?
Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training is drafting a decree to provide free textbooks to all students from grade 1 through grade 12, beginning in the 2029-2030 school year. This move realizes the spirit of the 2019 Education Law, which mandated the selection of one unified textbook set per subject through a transparent bidding process.
Currently, parents must purchase textbooks from bookstores, choosing among multiple publishers. This system creates hardship for low-income families, particularly in rural and mountainous areas. The draft decree is open for public comment until the end of May 2026.
If you have 2 children in school, you would no longer spend 600,000-1,000,000 VND every school year on new textbooks.
Current Textbook Costs
Each year, Vietnamese families spend approximately 300,000 to 500,000 VND per student on textbooks, not including workbooks and supplementary materials. At the upper secondary level, costs can reach 600,000-700,000 VND due to more subjects and thicker books. With 18 million K-12 students nationwide, the total societal cost of textbooks amounts to 5,400-9,000 billion VND annually.
A rural family earning 3.2 million VND/month spends 1.4% of their income on textbooks per child. With 2 children, that is nearly 3% of their annual income.
Who Benefits?
This policy directly impacts 18 million K-12 students nationwide and their families. However, the degree of benefit varies across groups: rural students, those in mountainous areas, and policy-eligible families will feel the change most significantly. Teachers' unions also support it as it reduces administrative burden around collecting fees at the start of each school year.
Parents
A family with 2 children saves up to 1 million VND annually. Rural families benefit most as textbook costs represent a larger share of their income.
Publishers
Current textbook publishers (Education Publishing House, HNUE Press) worry about losing their primary revenue source. The government plans competitive bidding instead of free market sales.
Teachers
Teachers' unions strongly support the policy as it reduces the burden of collecting fees at the start of each school year. Rural teachers report many students borrow used books because families cannot afford new ones.
Budget Breakdown
According to preliminary estimates, the program will cost approximately 3-5 trillion VND annually from the state budget. The budget covers printing, transportation, administration, replacement reserves, and a portion for digitizing learning materials. The government plans competitive bidding to ensure quality and cost control.
Annual Budget EstimateUnit: trillion VND
3-5 trillion VND/year represents only about 0.3-0.5% of total state budget (approximately 1,000 trillion VND/year) — a small investment to reduce education inequality.
Phased Implementation Plan
To ensure feasibility and reduce budget pressure, the program will be implemented in three phases. Phase 1 (school year 2029-2030) prioritizes primary school with approximately 8.5 million students. Phase 2 (2030-2031) expands to lower secondary with an additional 5.8 million students. The final phase (2031-2032) completes coverage for upper secondary, reaching all 18 million K-12 students.
Phased Implementation Timeline
First-graders entering school in 2029 will be the first generation to receive free textbooks from day one.
International Comparison
Over 60 countries worldwide already provide free textbooks to students. Many countries in Asia — such as Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and India — have implemented this policy long ago. Vietnam is among the few countries with GDP per capita above $4,000 that still lacks this policy, and the new draft decree aims to close this gap.
| Country | Free Textbooks | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | Yes | 1882 | Fully free K-12 |
| Japan | Yes | 1947 | Free elementary & middle school |
| South Korea | Yes | 2021 | Free high school since 2021 |
| India | Yes | 2009 | Free grades 1-8 (RTE Act) |
| Thailand | Yes | 1999 | 15 years free education |
| Vietnam | Upcoming | 2029* | Draft decree, planned 2029 |
France has provided free textbooks since 1882. Vietnam, 144 years later, is finally moving toward the same goal.
What Are Publishers Concerned About?
Textbook publishers, particularly the Vietnam Education Publishing House (which holds about 70% market share), have expressed concerns about the new business model. Currently, they sell textbooks directly to parents through bookstore networks and distributors. Under the state bidding model, revenue will depend on winning bids and the ability to control production costs.
However, education experts argue this transition is inevitable. According to UNICEF Vietnam reports, having parents bear textbook costs creates unequal access to education between urban and rural areas. Some publishers have already begun diversifying into supplementary materials and e-books to broaden their revenue streams.
Vietnam Education Publishing House revenues exceed 3,000 billion VND/year (2024). The business model transition is challenging but not impossible.
Calculate Your Family's Savings
Use the calculator below to estimate how much your family would save when the free textbook policy is implemented. The average cost of 400,000 VND/student/year is based on Ministry of Education data.
How Much Will Your Family Save?
The Urban-Rural Divide
One of the most important social objectives of this policy is narrowing the education gap between urban and rural areas. Data shows rural students face a significantly heavier financial burden when purchasing textbooks. The rate of rural students borrowing used books is 4.4 times higher than urban students, reflecting deep inequality in education access.
| Urban | Rural | Gap | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. monthly income | 6.5M | 3.2M | 2x |
| Textbook cost/year | 450K | 350K | 1.3x |
| Textbook/income ratio | 0.6% | 1.4% | 2.3x |
| Used book borrowing | 8% | 35% | 4.4x |
35% of rural students borrow used books, meaning over 3 million children learn from outdated, incomplete, and un-updated materials.
Roadmap to 2031
Draft decree published
The Ministry of Education officially publishes the draft and begins soliciting public comments, government agencies, and educational organizations.
Parents start learning about potential free textbooks — many families begin delaying supplementary purchases to wait for the policy.
Public comment deadline
Compilation of feedback from localities, schools, publishers, and education experts. The Ministry adjusts the draft based on feedback.
Publishers submit proposals on bidding mechanisms and pricing. Rural teachers send letters expressing their joy at the policy.
Decree approved
The government is expected to officially sign the decree, including bidding procedures, quality standards, and detailed implementation plans.
Publishers begin preparing large-scale production capacity for state bidding requirements.
Bidding and production preparation
Phase 1 textbook supply bidding organized (grades 1-5). Winning publishers begin mass printing.
This is the pivotal year: if bidding succeeds, 8.5 million primary students will have free books the following year.
Three-phase rollout
Phase 1: grades 1-5 (2029). Phase 2: grades 6-9 (2030). Phase 3: grades 10-12 (2031). All 18 million students covered.
The generation entering school from 2029 will be the first in Vietnam's history to learn with entirely free textbooks.
References
- Bao quốc tế — Draft decree on free K-12 textbooks (April 2026)
- doanh nghiệp Hoi Nhap — Textbook costs and impact on Vietnamese families (March 2026)
- VietnamNet — Education policy: free textbooks from 2029 (April 2026)
- 2019 Education Law — National Assembly of Vietnam