Prominent among the delegates were VAPE Vice Chairman and General Secretary Le Manh Hung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Son La province Nguyen Thanh Cong, representatives from the provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilisation Board and the Department of Education and Training, along with over 60 others from the provincial education promotion associations of Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, and Son La provinces.

In 2024, the northwestern provinces have made significant strides in promoting education and talents, and building a learning society. They count 1,334 such associations in communes, wards, and towns, 18,379 grassroots chapters, 8,292 education promotion boards, and over 2.4 million members, accounting for 33% of their population.

Achievements include the registration of more than 1.2 million “learning families,” 6,835 “learning clans,” 9,182 “learning communities,” and 5,236 “learning units.” Phu Tho, Son La, Tuyen Quang, Yen Bai, and Hoa Binh have taken the lead in this effort.

The region also amassed over 145 billion VND (5.7 million USD) in education promotion funds, averaging 21,000 VND per capita. Fundraising and disbursement have been carried out in accordance with the principles of fairness, accuracy, and efficiency.

Speaking at the event, Cong urged the participants to share best practices for engaging local authorities in promoting a learning society, saying more attention should be paid to strengthening education promotion networks in disadvantaged, remote, and ethnic minority-inhabited areas, and developing ethnic minority leaders for grassroots chapters. They were also asked to exchange experience in fund-raising.

Representatives from provincial associations for promoting education presented achievements and experience, pointed out challenges to the work, and proposed solutions, aiming to create a legal framework for advancing a learning society in the time ahead.

In his remarks, Hung urged the provincial associations for promoting education to concertedly and effectively implement relevant policies, programmes, and plans at both central and local levels, including the Party Central Committee’s Conclusion No. 49/KL-TW, and the Prime Minister’s Decisions No. 1373/QĐ-TTg and 1315/QĐ-TTg on building a life-long learning society. He stressed the importance of assessing the operation of community learning centres and expanding learning models.

On this occasion, the Son La association handed over a flag to its Dien Bien counterpart to host the 2025 conference.

Earlier, the delegates paid tribute to President Ho Chi Minh at a temple dedicated to the late leader at the Tay Bac (Northwest) Square.