Education sector to prioritise human development and happiness: Tô Lâm

The jubilant atmosphere on the opening day of the new school year 2024-25 at Thăng Long Primary School in Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội on Thursday morning.—VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tùng

HÀ NỘI —Teaching is a noble profession—that was the message from President Tô Lâm to educators as schools across the country resumed after the holidays.

The Party General Secretary and President wrote an open letter to all those in education, urging the sector to focus on human development and human happiness, maximising the human factor and placing people at the centre, as the subject, resource and goal of development.

That would create a foundation for achieving the goal of a prosperous, powerful, democratic, fair and civilised country, President Tô Lâm said in the letter of encouragement and messages he sent to teachers, educational administrators, education sector employees, parents and students across the country on the occasion of the new academic year 2024-25.

Teachers welcome first graders of Thăng Long Primary School in Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội on Thursday morning.—VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Tùng

Việt Nam News is honoured to present the full text of the letter from the Party General Secretary and President Tô Lâm:

Dear teachers, educational administrators, education sector employees, students and parents.

On the occasion of the start of the new academic year 2024 - 2025, I warmly extend my heartfelt greetings and best wishes to all teachers, educational administrators and employees in the education sector, as well as to students and parents.

In his letter to students on the first day of school in the Democratic Republic of Việt Nam, President Hồ Chí Minh wrote "Whether Việt Nam's mountains and rivers become beautiful or not, whether the Vietnamese people advance to the pinnacle of glory to stand side by side with the great powers of the five continents, largely depends on your efforts in studying."

Former Party General Secretary and President Nguyễn Phú Trọng also emphasised in a meeting with outstanding students on November 3, 2018 "Talents are the nation's vital force, if this force is strong, the country is strong, if this force weakens, the country is weak."

Our Party and State have always recognised education and training as a top national policy and have implemented prioritised policies for the development of education and training.

In the 2023 - 2024 academic year, after ten years of implementing Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW dated November 4, 2013 by the Central Committee of the Party on fundamentally and comprehensively renewing education and training, our education system has made significant progress and achieved many important milestones.

These have greatly contributed to raising the people's intellectual level, developing human resources, and nurturing talent, playing a crucial role in the country’s socio-economic development and international integration. 

On behalf of the Party and State leadership, I warmly commend the spirit of competition and effort of teachers and students nationwide, as well as the hard work and achievements of the entire education sector and the support of parents over the past time.

The new academic year 2024 - 25 marks the first year of implementing Conclusion No. 91-KL/TW by the Politburo on continuing to implement Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW and deploying the new General Education Programme for all grades from Grade 1 to Grade 12.

I hope the education sector will focus on effectively implementing this year’s theme "Innovative creativity, improving quality, unity and discipline."

Education and training should continue to aim at human development and human happiness, maximising the human factor and placing people at the centre, as the subject, resource and goal of development. This will create a foundation for achieving the goal of a prosperous, powerful, democratic, fair and civilised country.

With the spirit of the new academic year, I trust that students will strive to study, cultivate, absorb and master knowledge, develop core competencies and build grand aspirations to construct a progressively prosperous and happy nation.

I hope that teachers, educational administrators and education sector employees will always be passionate, dedicated, creative and overcome all difficulties to contribute even more to their noble profession.

I urge parents, for the future of our children, to collaborate effectively with schools and foster a close connection between schools, families and society in educational work.

I request that ministries, local Party committees and authorities pay even more attention to education by making timely, practical and correct decisions so that teachers and students can work and study in a healthy environment with all the necessary conditions to enhance their creative abilities and successfully carry out the country's educational reform.

I wish all teachers, educational administrators, education sector employees and students good health, happiness, success and even greater achievements in the new academic year. VNS