A humanitarian resolution

The preschool period is considered a golden stage for children’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. Investing in early childhood education means investing in the future of the country. Resolution 218 sets the goal that by 2030, 100% of centrally governed cities and provinces will meet the standards for universal preschool education for children aged 3 to 5. This universalization will be funded by the State and supported through social mobilization. It will be implemented progressively, based on each locality’s socioeconomic conditions, and in accordance with the required criteria.

To achieve this goal, Resolution 218 outlines mechanisms and policies focusing on developing a network of schools and classes, ensuring adequate infrastructure and teaching equipment, recruiting sufficient preschool teachers according to standards, and securing policies for children aged 3 to 5, school staff, and management. It also encourages mobilization of social resources and gives priority to underdeveloped areas, ethnic minority regions, mountainous and border areas, islands, coastal zones, industrial parks, and densely populated localities.

Clearly, Resolution 218 reflects strong social welfare and equity values. Universal education for children aged 3 to 5 lays the groundwork for equitable access to learning opportunities, ensuring that every child has the chance to develop their full potential. Children who are nurtured and educated scientifically from an early age will enjoy better health, intellect, and character, thus being well prepared to enter primary school and succeed in higher levels of education. According to the resolution, children in remote and ethnic minority areas will receive prioritized support from the State, helping narrow the development gap between different regions and population groups. For Điện Biên, this represents an opportunity to further increase preschool enrollment rates and improve the quality of early childhood education.

Strengthening early childhood education

According to Hoàng Tuyết Ban, Director of the Department of Education and Training of Điện Biên province, the National Assembly’s approval of the resolution on universal preschool education for children aged 3 to 5 is a highly meaningful policy, especially for mountainous and border localities facing many difficulties like Điện Biên.

Điện Biên has been implementing universal preschool education for five-year-olds since 2010. In 2014, the province became the 23rd in the country to be certified by the Ministry of Education and Training as having met the standards. In 2020, it was again recognized for maintaining this achievement.

In recent years, the provincial education sector has focused on encouraging enrollment of children aged 3 to 5. By the 2024-2025 school year, 99.9% of children in this age group were attending preschool in Điện Biên. Simultaneously, the province has promoted Vietnamese language acquisition for ethnic minority children, laying a foundation for maintaining the quality of preschool education for five-year-olds in particular and for preschool education overall.

Despite the high enrollment rate, the province still faces numerous challenges, including a shortage of preschool teachers, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of teaching equipment and play materials aligned with the new early childhood curriculum. The malnutrition rate among children remains relatively high. Therefore, universal education must go beyond raising enrollment rates, it must ensure that children learn in safe and high-quality environments. In this context, Resolution 218 provides a valuable opportunity to address existing gaps and improve early childhood education in the province.

Hoàng Tuyết Ban emphasized: “With Resolution 218, the implementation of universal preschool education will receive stronger attention in the coming period. There will be specific support to encourage maximum enrollment, policies to ensure and improve the quality of care and education, and greater support for teachers and staff working in disadvantaged areas to help them remain committed to the profession. This not only strengthens the foundation for quality general education but also marks a strong step forward in the strategy for sustainable human development, demonstrating the Party and State’s deep concern for children.”

Following its adoption by the National Assembly, the Ministry of Education and Training is drafting an implementation plan to submit to the Government. Once enacted, the resolution will play a vital role in developing a generation of well-rounded Vietnamese children capable of meeting the demands of national industrialization and modernization.