The new academic year commenced today, September 5, in Hanoi, with nearly 2.3 million students from kindergarten through high school.

Celebratory activities for the new school year began early morning, creating a lively and festive atmosphere. Flags and flowers adorned stages, schools, and streets to welcome the students.

Well-prepared and dressed in uniforms, students from kindergarten to high school eagerly and excitedly began their new school year.

Bui Thi Minh Hoai, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, joined the teachers and students of Giang Vo Secondary School in Ba Dinh District for the opening ceremony of the new school year.

The Secretary presented flowers to congratulate the outstanding achievements of the teachers and students of Giang Vo Secondary School and beat the drum to mark the opening moment of the new school year 2024-2025 with a new spirit and new determination, for higher goals. 

Ahead of the new school year, some 29,000 teachers in Hanoi have taken training courses on the latest updates to books and curricula. To address the shortage of teachers, Hanoi-based schools have signed contracts with a total of 6,000 new teachers.

Le Thi My Trang in Cau Giay District takes time off work to attend the first day of school with her daughter.

“Since my daughter started first grade this year, I have prepared her for the opening ceremony with a small flag and a flower. I’ve had everything ready for today so my family can attend the school's opening day. It feels like my childhood again,” she told The Hanoi Times.

Lam Quang Anh, a student at Lomonosov Primary School in Nam Tu Liem District, said that the opening day is a memorable and honorable moment, marking a milestone for all students.

“I’m happy to be a part of this day. I got up early by myself, got dressed, and quickly arrived at the school for the ceremony," he said.  

State President says education top priority for Vietnam

General Secretary and State President To Lam has sent a congratulatory letter to teachers, students, and workers in the education sector on the occasion of the opening of the 2024-2025 school year.

President Lam stressed that education and care of pupils are among the top priorities of the Party and the State.

“We teach the children character building, love, honesty, compassion, hard work, living with ideals, learning to rise from difficulties, be self-reliant, on the principle of respecting the differences of each child, encouraging creativity, understanding and absorbing national and mankind knowledge, critical thinking and aspiration to contribute, he said.

Students should be surrounded by love and kindness at school. They should be at the center of all actions, with teachers as good mentors and the school as the foundation, the President added.

He urged the school to pay more attention to environmental protection, especially the quality of the sanitation system, to develop a healthy environment with more trees.

"Parents must co-operate with the school and teachers in their children's education," he said, adding that all ministries and sectors, especially the Ministry of Education, have to work together to solve the drawbacks and issues in the education and training system, as well as facilitate the development of private schools to improve the quality of education at the national level.

Top priorities should be to address the shortage of teaching staff, classrooms and books and to speed up the vaccination of students, Lam stressed.

The 2024-2025 school year opens in Hanoi. Photo: Thanh Hai/The Hanoi Times

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh joins teachers and students of Nguyen Dinh Chieu School in Hanoi. Photo: VGP

Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Bui Thi Minh Hoai attends the opening ceremony of the 2024-2025 school year at Giang Vo Secondary School, Hanoi. Photo: Thanh Hai/The Hanoi Times

Bui Thi Minh Hoai beats drums to begin the school year at Giang Vo Secondary School. Photo: Thanh Hai/The Hanoi Times

Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Thi Tuyen (3rd right) at Phan Dinh Phung High School, Hanoi. Photo: Thuy Tien/The Hanoi Times

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh (3rd left) attends the opening of the school year at Ngo Si Lien Secondary School, Hanoi. Photo: Hong Thai/The Hanoi Times

The view at Chu Van An Primary School, Hanoi. Photo: Thinh An/The Hanoi Times

Quang Ninh Province prepares carefully for the new school year 2024-2025. Photo: Vinh Quan/The Hanoi Times

Tran Phu Gifted School in Hai Phong City opens the new school year. Photo: Vinh Quan/The Hanoi Times

Students of Nguyen Duc Canh Primary School in Danang City. Photo: Quang Hai/The Hanoi Times

Inauguration and opening ceremony of the 2024-2025 school year at Binh Tri Dong B Secondary School, Binh Tan District in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tan Tien/The Hanoi Times

Acting Secretary of Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Thai Hoc awarded 10 scholarships to students of Thang Long High School for the Gifted. Photo: Phuong Dong