1. The Law on Teachers: A New Status and Groundbreaking Salary Policy

The most significant change in 2026 is the implementation of the Law on Teachers. This is the first time a dedicated legal framework has been established to protect and promote the rights of the teaching workforce.

• Highest Priority in the Salary Scale: Under the new regulations, teachers' salaries will be ranked at the highest level within the public administrative pay scale. This reflects the Government's commitment to attracting talent to the pedagogy field and ensuring a stable livelihood for those dedicated to teaching.
• Special Incentives: Beyond basic salaries, teachers will receive professional allowances, seniority benefits, and specific support when working in remote, mountainous, or socio-economically disadvantaged areas. This policy is expected to mitigate teacher shortages in difficult regions.

2. National Textbook Uniformity and the Roadmap to Free Education

Starting from the 2026–2027 school year, the textbook series “Connecting Knowledge with Life” will be adopted nationwide. This strategic shift offers several key benefits:

• Ensuring Equity: Students across the country, whether in urban or rural areas, will access a standardized source of knowledge, bridging the gap in educational quality between regions.
• Roadmap to Free Textbooks: Establishing a unified textbook system is a crucial foundation for the Government’s goal to provide free textbooks to students by 2030, significantly reducing the financial burden on families.

3. Human Resource Management Reform: Decentralization and Empowerment

The 2026 education policies emphasize decentralized management, making the administrative machinery more flexible and responsive to local realities:

• Autonomy for DOET Directors: Directors of the Departments of Education and Training (DOET) are now granted the authority to recruit, transfer, and appoint teachers based on the actual needs of their province, rather than relying heavily on other ministries.
• Local Management: Commune-level People’s Committee Chairs are also given more authority to manage education personnel within their jurisdiction, allowing for faster resolution of issues in preschools and primary schools.

4. Streamlining Qualifications and Boosting Digital Transformation

In an effort to reduce exam pressure and administrative red tape, the 2026 Amended Law on Education introduces drastic adjustments to the qualification system:

• Abolishing Lower Secondary Graduation Certificates: Students completing Grade 9 will no longer need to sit for a separate graduation exam or receive a physical diploma. Instead, completion will be confirmed directly in their academic transcripts. This move significantly reduces stress for middle school students.
• Digital Diplomas: The national qualification system has been streamlined, allowing certificates to be issued in either physical or digital formats with equal legal validity. This is a major step in the comprehensive digital transformation of the education sector, making information storage and verification easier and more transparent.

5. Education Vietnam 2026: Discussing the Future of Education

These new policies require collective action from society to be effectively implemented. Education Vietnam 2026 will serve as the premier forum for administrators, teachers, and EdTech companies to discuss ways to adapt to these new regulations.

The exhibition will showcase innovative teaching ideas and technological solutions designed to assist school management under the new laws.

• Date: May 6–8, 2026
• Venue: SECC – Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center, District 7, HCMC
• Website: educationvietnam.com.vn

Staying updated on these policies is the first step for schools and teachers to prepare for a new era of education—where the value of teachers is honored and the student's learning journey is optimized