Vietnam Education Publishing House pledges $758,300 in textbooks for students in flood-hit areas 

Vietnam Education Publishing House (VEPH) has pledged up to VND20 billion ($758,292) this year to provide textbooks for students in the areas stricken by typhoons, floods, and poor economic conditions.

Since the beginning of the year, the publisher has allocated about VND5 billion ($189,570) for social and charitable activities, including donating more than 117,000 textbooks to students in flooded regions.

Textbooks delivered to hard-hit Dak Lak

On November 29, Tran Van Sau, principal of Dong Khoi Secondary School in Hoa Thinh commune, Dak Lak province (formerly Phu Yen province), said the school had just received textbooks supplied by VEPH, including two textbook sets: Creativity Horizons and Connecting Knowledge to Life.

Recent historic floods left 742 students at the school without books, notebooks, or learning materials. Teaching equipment and laboratory models were also swept away or destroyed.

“With the support of the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), the provincial Department of Education and Training, local authorities, relevant forces, and benefactors, our school has been cleaned and reopened. The free textbooks are a great source of joy and motivation for teachers and students as we strive to maintain the academic schedule for the first semester of the 2025-2026 school year,” Sau said.

Tran Thi Thuy Kieu, vice principal of Hoa Thinh Primary School, said that when students returned on November 26, each class could use only one teacher’s copy of the textbook, creating significant difficulties. Receiving new textbooks today, she added, is a joy and a great morale boost for both teachers and students after the devastating floods. The school distributed all textbooks to students on November 29 and 30.

According to the provincial Department of Education and Training, on November 29, VEPH delivered textbooks to four schools in Hoa Thinh commune: Hoa Thinh Primary School, Hoa Dong Primary School, Nguyen Thi Dinh Secondary School, and Dong Khoi Secondary School. The department said schools would distribute the books immediately upon arrival so students can resume learning as scheduled.

Timely support

According to reports from the MoET and localities, heavy rains and floods in November forced more than 1,900 schools and satellite campuses to temporarily close. Many were severely inundated, with textbooks, notebooks, and learning supplies damaged. Khanh Hoa, Dak Lak, Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, and Lam Dong provinces suffered the most extensive property and equipment losses.

Many students in flooded areas returned to school without textbooks, making the support from VEPH and the education sector particularly crucial during post-disaster recovery.

Ten provinces have received textbook support so far, including Dien Bien, Nghe An, Son La, Lai Chau, Tuyen Quang, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Cao Bang, Bac Ninh, and Dak Lak. Allocation is based on local proposals and assessments of the actual needs of schools affected by flooding.

VEPH is also preparing additional shipments for localities recently hit by severe flooding, including Hue, Danang, and Quang Tri. The publisher is working with authorities in Khanh Hoa, Quang Ngai, and Lam Dong to assess damage and provide timely support.

In addition to textbooks, the publisher has donated VND1 billion ($37,914) in cash to assist several provinces with flood recovery, helping schools repair facilities, purchase essential learning materials, and provide emergency support to disadvantaged students.

In total, since the start of the year, VEPH has dedicated about VND5 billion ($189,566) to social and charitable initiatives, demonstrating the organization’s sense of responsibility toward the community.

The publisher affirmed that it will continue coordinating with the education sector and localities to assess actual needs and ensure that textbooks are delivered to the right places and the right students. Support will be provided continuously as new damage assessments come in, helping students in flood-affected regions resume learning as soon as possible.

VEPH reiterated its commitment to allocating up to VND20 billion ($758,292) this year for the program supporting students in typhoon- and flood-hit areas. Schools experiencing textbook shortages due to flooding can submit official requests to the publisher for timely assistance.

“With a commitment to supporting our beloved students, Vietnam Education Publishing House will always stand by them, sharing hardships and helping ensure access to knowledge for children across the country, no matter the circumstances,” the publisher said.