More than 22 million school attendees at all education levels on September 5 entered the new academic year of 2013-2014 after opening ceremonies took place massively nationwide.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, in the school year, Vietnam has about 4.7 million of preschool children, 15 million high-school students, 520,000 vocational students and 2.1 million undergraduates.

This academic year will be the first time the country implements the Party Central Committee’s resolution on fundamental and comprehensive reform of education and training to meet the requirements of national industrialisation and modernisation in the context of developing a socialism-oriented market economy and global integration.

The sector will accelerate the implementation of new policies such as applying primary schools with new -education model ( VNEN ), renovating methods of teaching and assessments at all education levels while innovating managerial mechanisms.

The moves are expected to further improve educational quality in the coming time.

Over the last school year, the education sector nationwide reached achievements, especially those in disadvantaged remote areas. Vietnamese students won many awards in international and regional contents.

On the occasion of new school year, the Party and State leaders and representatives from the ministry have visited and joined opening ceremonies with students across the country. This shows the attention of the Party, State and whole society to the education and training career.

Visiting Hung Yen Specialist High School in the northern province of Hung Yen on September 4, National Assembly Vice Chairwoman Tong Thi Phong applauded the achievements made by the school's teachers and pupils over the past years.

She noted that the school should continue to strive towards leading the province in the quality of education and training.

She instructed the provincial education sector to tighten management work, give more priority to disadvantaged schools to turn out good citizens for the province.

Attending the opening ceremony at the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai's Ethnic Minority Boarding High School on the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said education and training remains a top priority for the Party and State, particularly for ethnic minority children.

He urged the school to create favourable conditions for pupils and build a strong teaching staff in terms of both quality and quantity while encouraging pupils to overcome difficulties.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan visited the Hanoi Medical University, hailing its achievements over the past year, particularly its renovations in training, scientific research and infrastructure.

Nhan stressed that the school helped to train many leading experts in the fields of healthcare, treatment and disease prevention, proving its prestige, capacity and close links between training and real social demand.

On the same day, Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan and leaders of the ministries of Education and Training and Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs visited an ethnic minority boarding school in the northern province of Hoa Binh.

On this occasion, Doan granted 10 scholarships worth 5 million VND (238 USD) each to excellent pupils from poor families.

Visiting Ly Tu Trong Secondary School in the central province of Khanh Hoa, National Assembly Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu instructed the school to continue renewing education management and improving education and training quality.-VNA