Expectations following National Assembly’s Q&A session: commitments must be matched by action

Turning commitments into concrete action

After 1.5 days of active, prompt, and highly responsible work, the 15th NA successfully concluded the Q&A session of its 9th sitting. The atmosphere in the assembly hall was described as vibrant, candid, and accountable.

Reflecting on the session, Nguyen Thi Viet Nga, Deputy Head of the Hai Duong Province NA Delegation, noted that this session focused on questioning the ministers of finance and education-training. The questions addressed pressing issues rooted in reality and of particular interest to constituents.

For the minister of finance, deputies raised many questions regarding solutions to balance the state budget, such as how to ensure social welfare while also securing sufficient resources for development investment. Other concerns included removing obstacles for private enterprises and enhancing the performance of state-owned enterprises.

In the education sector, questions centred on solutions to improve the quality of education, regulate private tutoring, and build a safe and healthy school environment that supports the comprehensive development of students.

Deputy Nguyen Thi Viet Nga praised the ministers’ responses, noting their candid acknowledgment of existing shortcomings and challenges within their respective sectors. More importantly, the ministers proposed concrete commitments, with both short-term and long-term solutions.

Similarly, Deputy Hoang Van Cuong (from Ha Noi Delegation) commended the ministers for demonstrating a high level of responsibility, answering questions directly and specifically. He remarked that the ministers were transparent about ongoing initiatives and clear about future plans. While some issues can be resolved in the short term, others require a long-term approach and coordination across various sectors and administrative levels.

Expressing his expectations, Deputy Ta Van Ha (Quang Nam Delegation) stressed the need for a comprehensive summary of the key concerns raised by deputies and voters, the ministers’ responses, and the related sectoral commitments and solutions.

“All of these must be translated into tangible actions during implementation, direction, and enforcement, especially with robust monitoring, including by NA deputies and its oversight agencies,” Ha stressed.

He also acknowledged that certain issues cannot be fully resolved by a single ministry or individual, even a minister. These require unified and coordinated efforts across multiple sectors and levels.

For example, addressing school violence is not solely the responsibility of educational institutions, but it demands joint efforts from families, schools, and society as a whole.

Therefore, the deputy said: “Ministers must make stronger, more resolute commitments and demonstrate clearer accountability. As heads of their sectors, they must drive change and make significant breakthroughs.”

The most important factor is implementation

Deputy Hoang Van Cuong emphasised that while solutions and commitments have been put forth, their success ultimately hinges on the synchronised engagement of the entire system, particularly the unified leadership of the government and the collective effort of the whole society.

“Once the problems have been clearly identified and the direction has been determined, we can fully expect positive outcomes in the near future,” said Cuong.

Regarding tax reform, especially the shift in tax policies for household businesses toward a new model, the deputy acknowledged this as a significant and relatively novel policy, not only for business households but also for the tax administration system. The minister of finance, in his response, proposed comprehensive solutions to address this issue.

However, Cuong noted that what people, especiallyhousehold business owners, are most concerned about is the implementation process: how they will be expected to comply, how tax declarations will be handled, and how taxes will be calculated.

He stressed the need for simplicity, clarity, and ease of implementation, warning against turning tax compliance into a psychological burden or an increased financial cost.

“People are not afraid to pay taxes; what matters is that the system is transparent, logical, and fair. If they can clearly understand and trust the process, they will willingly fulfiltheir tax obligations with a positive mindset,” the deputy explained.

Meanwhile, Deputy To Thi Bich Chau (Ho Chi Minh City Delegation) addressed the long-standing issue of extra teaching and learning. She acknowledged that extra learning is a genuine need, especially for students striving to enhance their capabilities. Therefore, the problem is not whether to ban extra classes, but how to manage them transparently and fairly, without putting pressure on students or enabling misconduct.

She suggested that beyond the role of schools, it is essentialto have oversight and cooperation from the Viet Nam Fatherland Front and mass organisations at the grassroots level. These community-based entities understand local realities best and can support schools in managing supplementary teaching effectively and lawfully.

She also noted that the implementation of full-day schooling must be accompanied by well-coordinated planning in terms of facilities, funding, and student transportation, particularly at the primary and lower secondary levels.

“Education cannot stand alone, it must develop in tandem with infrastructure, transportation, the economy, and culture,” the deputy emphasised.

Reinforcing a view shared by many NA deputies, Deputy Nguyen Thi Viet Nga stated that the most critical aspect is how well the commitments are actually implemented, with the goal of producing tangible improvements, removing obstacles, and driving positive change across sectors.

“Ministers may make the commitments, but execution lies in the hands of public officials and civil servants throughout the system,” she said. “That is why it is crucial for ministry and agency leaders to direct efforts rigorously and closely.” She added that it is vital to have frequent inspection, monitoring, and performance evaluation, without which “even the best commitments will remain just words on paper.”