Hanoi (VNA)﷽ - The current context and new requirements demand continued innovation in the activities of the Vietnam Association for Promoting Education (VAPE), contributing substantially to building a learning society and fostering a culture of learning among the people, Party General Secretary To Lam has stressed.

Speaking at a meeting with the Standing Board of the VAPE Central Committee on September 16, the Party leader proposed four key orientations for the association in the coming time. The association must affirm that building a learning society and lifelong learning forms the foundation for shaping an innovative and learning nation, in line with Vietnam’s aspirations for fast and sustainable development. Education promotion must be practical and effective, enhancing labour productivity, improving intellectual level, and creating development opportunities for all citizens, especially in border, island, ethnic minority, and disadvantaged areas. Lifelong learning must be seen not only as an individual need but also as the key to raising intellectual standards, building human resources, and driving innovation and breakthroughs for rapid and sustainable socio-economic development, helping every citizen become a useful member of society, he said. According to the Party chief, VAPE must accelerate digital transformation in promoting education and talent development. This includes piloting lifelong learning records for citizens, with a view to nationwide application; learning from the “Digital Literacy – Digital Parliament” initiative of the National Assembly; and upgrading community learning centres into digital learning hubs with internet access and open educational resources, aligned with the national digital transformation programme.

The association must mobilise the combined strength of the entire society, serving as a focal point to connect businesses, social organisations, overseas Vietnamese, and the international community, thereby creating sustainable, transparent, and equitable resources for promoting education and talent, he added. The General Secretary also called on ministries, sectors, and localities to integrate lifelong learning into their annual plans as a regular political task. Relevant central agencies, including the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Party Central Committee's Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation, and the Ministry of Education and Training, were tasked with monitoring, reviewing, and reporting implementation to the Politburo and Secretariat. The association, with more than 27 million members nationwide, has mobilised 100% of its funding from social sources. It has awarded millions of scholarships, supported underprivileged students, and expanded successful models such as “Learning Family,” “Learning Clan,” “Learning Community,” and “Learning Unit,” alongside initiatives like the “Vietnam Talent Award” and scholarships inspired by President Ho Chi Minh’s teaching that “Learning never ends.” These efforts have helped advance the learning society and instill a culture of lifelong learning across the nation./.