Letter from President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the occasion of the opening of the new school year

Dear teachers, administrators, education workers, parents, and beloved students!

In his last letter on the occasion of the start of the new school year in October 1968, Uncle Ho advised the education sector and all students to "continue to compete to teach well and study well no matter how difficult it is".

For 53 years, our education sector is now facing huge challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic that is happening all over the world. But more than ever, I believe that the education sector, especially the team of teachers and all students, will continue to promote the tradition of competition, overcome difficulties, study and practice well as Uncle Ho taught in the past.

With that spirit and belief, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, I acknowledge and warmly commend the efforts and efforts to overcome difficulties along with the results that the Education sector has achieved in the past time. On this occasion, I would like to express my deep sympathy and sympathy to the Education sector, the families of teachers, students and pupils in localities where the epidemic is still complicated such as Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern provinces, especially to families who have had their lives disrupted by the epidemic and the loss of health and loved ones.

Students at Chieng Le Primary School, Son La city listen to teachers disseminate information about preparations for the new school year. (Photo: Huu Quyet/VNA)

I understand that for teachers and students, not being able to go to class during the school year is a feeling of emptiness and deep sadness. We are proud to have doctors who are also teachers, and students, especially medical students, who are working tirelessly day and night on the front lines against the pandemic.

On the occasion of the opening of the 2021-2022 school year, I would like to send my warmest regards and best wishes to teachers, administrators, and workers who have been and are working in the education sector, parents, and students nationwide.

Dear comrades, teachers and students,

During the fourth outbreak, many students have gone through extremely difficult months due to lockdowns and social distancing. Online learning still has limitations, shortcomings and is not consistent, especially in rural, mountainous, remote and isolated areas, and families lacking the conditions and means for online learning. We are all very worried and sympathetic when witnessing the F0, F1 who are young children of school age, even kindergarteners, teenagers and children having to leave their families and villages to go for treatment or centralized quarantine; thus, their studies have been interrupted.

The President requested the education sector, along with other sectors and levels, to pay attention, take actions commensurate with the epidemic situation and take measures to minimize negative impacts, especially the risk of some students falling behind their peers. More than ever, the whole society and the entire political system need to stand closer together, listen, understand and join hands with the education sector for the future of the country, for the future of our children.

However, as history has proven, no challenge can surpass the spirit of learning, no difficulty can dampen the will to strive, the determination to study hard, conquer knowledge to bring glory to our ancestors, to serve the country of the Vietnamese people throughout thousands of years of civilization.

Therefore, to students, in this challenging context, the President would like to reiterate the love, trust and hope of beloved Uncle Ho for students nationwide, right from the beginning of the nation's founding in 1945:

"Whether Vietnam's mountains and rivers become beautiful or not, whether the Vietnamese people can step up to the stage of glory to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world's great powers or not, depends largely on your studies."

The determination for the 2021-2022 school year and beyond of all of us, not just the education sector, is to not let any child, especially those in epidemic areas, remote areas, and those in difficult circumstances, completely lose the opportunity to study because of the pandemic, and especially not let the Vietnamese education system, because of the pandemic, be unable to fulfill its commitment, responsibility, and mission to the Fatherland and the People.

Entering the new school year 2021-2022, I hope that the education sector will continue to "create breakthroughs in fundamental and comprehensive innovation in education and training, develop high-quality human resources, attract and make use of talents" as set out in the Resolution of the 13th National Congress of the Party. Develop and implement a flexible school year plan, ensuring the health and safety of students, teachers, and completing an educational program designed to suit the digital environment and adapt to all developments of the epidemic. The whole society, the education sector, and parents always take care of and remind students; at the same time, each person must be an example for their children to follow in the work of epidemic prevention and control; all sectors, all levels, and 63 provinces and cities nationwide need to ensure safe, complete and effective implementation of vaccination and 5K.

Wishing teachers, administrators, education workers, students, their families and loved ones safety from the pandemic, continued efforts and greater achievements in the new school year.

Friendly!

NGUYEN XUAN PHUC
President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam