Decree No.66/2025/NĐ-CP, effective from May 1, 2025, expands support to include nursery-aged children, not only helping to increase classroom attendance rates but also laying a strong foundation for the goal of universal early childhood education in the coming years.

Aiming to address current inadequacies and promote equity and access to education, the decree clearly defines support policies for nursery-aged children, students, and learners in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, as well as specially disadvantaged communes in coastal and island regions. It specifies the subjects eligible for support, conditions, principles, entitlements, approval procedures, and funding provisions. One of the most notable points of Decree 66 is the expansion of benefits to include semi-boarding nursery-aged children from 3 months to 3 years old, a group previously left out of education support policies.

Đinh Thị Phương, Principal of Phình Giàng Kindergarten in Điện Biên Đông district, shared: “The school currently has over 380 students, more than 80 of whom are nursery-aged, enrolled across 16 classes in 9 village sites. Previously, this age group received no government support, making it difficult to encourage attendance. Decree No.66/2025/NĐ-CP provides a lunch subsidy of VND 360,000 per month for nursery-aged children, reflecting the Party and State’s attention to fairness and educational access. With this new policy, we believe parents will feel more secure sending their toddlers to school, and teachers will have more favorable conditions to expand enrollment, contributing to early childhood education outreach and educational equity in highland areas.”

For a long time, nursery-aged children (3 months to 36 months old) in ethnic minority and mountainous areas and in disadvantaged coastal and island communes were not eligible for state-funded education support. This policy gap hindered preschool efforts and widened the early education access gap between regions. Decree 66 not only includes semi-boarding nursery-aged children in its coverage but also clearly defines the level of support: VND 360,000 per month per child for lunch, up to nine months per school year. This marks a major step forward in education policy, particularly for children in highland, remote, and disadvantaged regions like Điện Biên.

Lê Thị Tuyết Hường, Principal of Thanh Nưa Kindergarten in Điện Biên district, noted: “Compared to other difficult areas, our school has some advantages in mobilizing nursery-aged children. However, it is still not easy. Teachers often visit homes to persuade parents, and even then, some still hesitate. Now that Decree No.66 is in effect, we have a solid legal basis to reassure parents and improve care conditions. The policy reduces financial pressure on families and helps increase attendance among an age group that is often overlooked.”

Previously, support policies for difficult regions only applied to children aged 3 and older. Under Decree No.105/2020/NĐ-CP, children aged 3-6 received a lunch allowance of VND 160,000 per month. Now, younger nursery-aged children receive up to VND 360,000. This increase is appropriate, considering the greater resources required to care for children under age 3, including food, hygiene, and safety. The revised support reflects real conditions in disadvantaged areas and signals a forward-thinking approach to education. While Vietnam has achieved success in universalizing primary and lower secondary education, universal early childhood education, especially for nursery-aged children, still faces many barriers. Decree No.66 opens the door wider to achieving this goal.

Following the decree’s enactment, localities in the province have moved quickly to implement the new policy. Đặng Quang Huy, Head of the Education and Training Sub-department of Điện Biên district, said: “We are working with schools to review all eligible nursery-aged children and guide them in organizing groups and planning hygienic, balanced meals. We believe Decree No.66 will transform education in highland areas within a few years, especially by enabling early childhood education for the youngest learners.”

The issuance of Decree No.66/2025/NĐ-CP is not just a basic education policy, it reflects the Party and State’s deep concern for the nation’s youngest citizens and a commitment to ensuring that no child in disadvantaged areas is left behind. It affirms that even nursery-aged children, who may not yet speak clearly or feed themselves, are now recognized as a vital part of Vietnam’s long-term educational strategy. In every innocent gaze of the children nurtured in remote villages, a brighter future is being shaped, beginning with a warm lunch provided by the State and the care of a society committed to its youngest generation.