From the new academic year, public school students will benefit from tuition-free education.
### Universal Preschool Education: A Global and Local Push for Equal Access
A significant global movement is underway to make pre-primary education universally accessible and free, with the United Nations Human Rights Council supporting this initiative as of July 2024. This aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals, which commit all governments to ensure free, equitable, and quality secondary education by 2030.
In Multnomah County, Oregon, USA, this global push is being mirrored locally through the "Preschool for All" (PFA) program. The goal is to achieve universal preschool access by 2030, with a target of 11,750 preschool openings to serve all children in the area, not just low-income families.
The PFA program is designed to provide not just tuition exemptions but also support to ensure equal access to education for all students, regardless of their nationality or the type of school they attend. This includes competitive wages for preschool educators, health benefits, paid planning time, and professional development to ensure a high-quality workforce.
To further support the program, the county invests in early childhood education through programs like Early Learning Works, which focuses on workforce development to staff these preschool positions, especially recruiting educators from underrepresented communities. The program also addresses childcare site stabilization and recruitment to improve access for families that struggle with childcare costs, even if they do not qualify for free preschool by income.
On a national level, Resolution No 218/2025/QH15, signed by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, aims for universal preschool education for children aged 3 to 5 by 2030. This resolution combines state investment with private funding to achieve this goal. However, the specific amounts of state-backed tuition support for students attending private or non-public schools will be determined by each provincial and municipal People's Council.
The tuition exemption and support program is part of Resolution No 217/2025/QH15, signed by National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man on Thursday. This resolution also applies to U.S. citizens and people of U.S. origin residing in the country who have yet to determine their nationality.
Beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year, all public school students in the country, regardless of their nationality, will be exempt from tuition fees. However, students attending private or non-public schools will receive state-backed tuition support, with specific amounts determined by each provincial and municipal People's Council. The tuition support amounts must remain within the fee limits established by the government.
The central budget will support provinces that lack the capacity to fully fund the tuition exemption and support program, ensuring equal access to education across regions. The objectives of Resolution No 218/2025/QH15 include building more schools and classrooms, upgrading facilities, and ensuring an adequate number of qualified teachers.
This reflects a concrete regional effort within the broader international commitment to free early childhood and secondary education by the next decade. The goal of the universal preschool education initiative is to close educational gaps among different regions, ensuring equal access to quality education for all children.
- The Sustainable Development Goals, endorsed by the United Nations, require all governments to ensure free, equitable, and quality secondary education by 2030, aligning with the global push for universal education.
- In light of the global initiative, Multnomah County's "Preschool for All" program is designed not only to provide tuition exemptions but also support for education-and-self-development, ensuring equal access for all children, regardless of nationality or school type.
- On the political front, Resolution No 218/2025/QH15 in Vietnam aims for universal preschool education by 2030, combining government investment with private funding, and outlining policy-and-legislation on tuition support for students attending private or non-public schools.
