In Vietnam, lifelong learning and the development of a learning society have always been priorities of the Party and the State.

A class at Thanh Loa Semi-Boarding Primary and Secondary School for Ethnic Minority Students (Cao Loc District, Lang Son Province).

Over the years, the education sector has achieved significant milestones, such as establishing a unified national education system from early childhood education to postgraduate training, expanding educational networks across all regions, diversifying school models and learning methods, improving the connection between different educational levels, and making significant progress in ensuring social equity in education.

A healthy educational environment that emphasises learning through practice and is closely linked to poverty alleviation, cultural life development, and promoting learning families, clans, and communities has been actively encouraged.

Across the country, from rural to urban areas, from lowlands to mountainous regions, border areas, and islands, as well as among overseas Vietnamese communities, people engage daily in teaching and learning to contribute to national development and global integration.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, by the end of the 2023–2024 academic year, 9,525 out of 10,595 communes, wards, and towns nationwide were assessed and classified as "Learning Communities", at the local level.

Additionally, 16,314 agencies and units at district and provincial levels achieved the "Learning Organisation" status. In 2024, Ho Chi Minh City and Son La City (in Son La Province) were recognised as members of UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities, bringing the total number of Vietnamese cities to five.

In addition, the annual Lifelong Learning Week plays a crucial role in raising awareness among teachers, students, and the public about the importance of digital transformation in lifelong learning and developing a learning society.

It also strengthens the responsibility of governments at all levels, sectors, organisations, and social forces to build and provide lifelong learning channels and tools for schools and communities.

More and more exemplary cases of lifelong learning are emerging, contributing to professional development and successful adaptation to change.

However, the rapid advancements of the scientific and technological revolution have profoundly transformed the socio-economic landscape of countries worldwide, including Vietnam.

Therefore, it is essential to continue enhancing societal awareness—from government agencies and organisations to businesses and individuals—about the necessity, impact, and benefits of lifelong learning and developing a learning society.

Lifelong learning should be promoted with specific and appropriate criteria to support the sustainable development of the nation, individuals, families, and society.

To foster lifelong learning and build a learning society, authorities at all levels must drive a significant shift in public perception, recognising education as the key to enhancing human resource quality.

Research and development of a Law on Lifelong Learning should be prioritised to transform lifelong learning from a major policy initiative into a practical reality and a distinctive cultural trait of the nation.

Additionally, the national education system should be refined to become more open, flexible, and interconnected, promoting a culture of lifelong learning across society.

Notably, the education sector must accelerate digital transformation, advance digital and smart education, personalise, innovate, and adapt to the development of artificial intelligence.

At the same time, learners should be equipped with essential skills to adapt, work effectively, and stay safe in the digital space. Open learning methods should be expanded, including open online teaching and learning platforms and digital educational resources.

Additionally, developing new school models, such as digital schools, smart schools, and happy schools, should be encouraged.

Every individual, including educators and citizens, must cultivate self-awareness about the importance of learning, especially lifelong learning, as a pathway to personal success and societal progress.

As Party General Secretary To Lam emphasised in his article on lifelong learning: “Lifelong learning aims to dare to think, dare to speak, dare to do, dare to take responsibility, dare to sacrifice for the common good, and to become useful persons for society” and “Only when the entire Party, the entire people, the entire army, along with every family and individual, effectively implement lifelong learning, build a contingent of cadres who dare to do, dare to speak, dare to take responsibility and dare to sacrifice, can we firmly step into a new era - an era of development and prosperity under the leadership of the Party”.