Nationwide shortage of nearly 4 million textbooks

The Ministry of Education and Training takes responsibility for the textbook scarcity, stating that the country is currently short of about 4 million books, representing 1,5% of the total demand.

The ministry announced on 15/9 that this figure was calculated as of yesterday, after Vietnam Education Publishing House had supplied nearly 237 million copies of books to localities.

The ministry instructed the publishing house to immediately provide the missing books today, prioritizing students without books or those lacking the most titles, especially in border areas, remote regions, disadvantaged areas, and groups eligible for support, provision, or loan of books.

Regarding the reasons for the textbook shortage despite the new academic year having started, the ministry noted several new factors impacting this year. These include: it being the first time the entire country uses a common set of textbooks; some localities implementing support policies; and the rearrangement of administrative units and reorganization of the school network. The ministry stated, "These factors caused a significant and sudden fluctuation in textbook demand, while the production, printing, and supply processes require preparation time."

Vietnam Education Publishing House cites three reasons for textbook shortage

The Ministry of Education and Training acknowledged its responsibility for failing to adequately forecast, synthesize, and analyze demand in line with reality. It also recognized insufficient assessment of the publishing house's production, management, and supply network capabilities, and that remedial solutions were neither quick nor flexible enough. Furthermore, the registration, forecasting, and coordination processes in some localities were not proactive or timely.

The ministry stated, "The responsibility for the localized textbook shortage lies with the Ministry, Vietnam Education Publishing House, and local authorities." It added, "This is a shortcoming that requires serious acknowledgment, rectification, and resolution to prevent recurrence in subsequent academic years."

Regarding the review and adjustment of the general education curriculum and textbooks, the ministry indicated a shift towards reducing academic rigor, increasing practical application and experiential learning. It also aims to strengthen comprehensive education and update new requirements. This will be implemented comprehensively, with a clear roadmap, ensuring educational quality without disrupting or causing unnecessary upheaval to teaching and learning activities.

The 2026-2027 academic year has seen an unprecedented textbook scarcity. In many provinces and cities, such as Hue, Da Nang, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, An Giang, and especially in Ho Chi Minh City, parents have been scrambling, queuing in long lines, and "hunting" for individual books both before and after the start of the school year.