The 2012-2013 academic year began at kindergartens, schools, colleges and universities throughout the country on September 5, welcoming more than 20 million students.

The nation's leaders attended opening ceremonies at various schools around the country.

On Sept. 4, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung beat the ceremonial drum to signal the opening of the new academic year at the Le Hong Phong High School for Gifted Students in Ho Chi Minh City while Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended the opening ceremony of the Chu Van An High School in Hanoi .

Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan joined students at the Hoang Van Thu High School in the northern province of Hoa Binh to celebrate the beginning of the new school year.

Dinh The Huynh, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Head of the CPVCC Commission for Propaganda and Education, attended the opening ceremony of the Bac Ly Junior Secondary School in the northern province of Ha Nam on August 31.

State President Truong Tan Sang has sent a greeting letter to teachers and students nationwide on the occasion of the new school year.

Sang praised outstanding teachers for their considerable contributions to the sector and disadvantaged students for their efforts to overcome their difficulties.

He urged the whole education sector to keep renewing management mechanisms, improving the quality of teachers and education officials and building a friendly and healthy education environment, providing equal opportunities for studying to everyone, and settling headache inducing issues such as cheating in exams and classroom violence.

He expressed his belief that the students will promote their national tradition of learning to achieve higher results in education.

He also suggested Party committees and state agencies at all levels, as well as organisations and all of society, keep coordinating with the education sector to realise the nation’s educational goals.-VNA