"My child studied at Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted, Ho Chi Minh City from 2016 - 2023. And I only participated in the work of the Parents' Association during my child's junior high school years.
During those years, we also mobilized parents to contribute money, but everything went quite smoothly. That was thanks to the principle of voluntary contribution" - Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Thi Hanh Thu, lecturer of the Physics Department of the University of Natural Sciences (Ho Chi Minh City National University), shared.
Don't force parents to "voluntarily"
According to Ms. Thu, some cases that upset parents are the ones where the Parents' Association forces them to voluntarily contribute. "In my child's old class, the Parents' Association specifically stated that the desks and chairs in the classroom were too old, the board was very dim... if we wait for the school to replace them, it will take a long time, so if possible, parents should contribute to buy them themselves.
This contribution is voluntary, not mandatory, and in fact, my child's class has a few parents who do not contribute. In one case, a parent did contribute, but our BDDCMHS did not accept it because the student's family situation was quite special, he was single. In order for the BDDCMHS class to have enough funds to operate, we divided the remaining amount, each person contributed a little more to make up for it," said Ms. Thu.
Similarly, Ms. Dinh Tuyet Tram, former head of the Parents' Association of Be Ngoan Kindergarten, former deputy head of the Parents' Association of Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School, District 1, also admitted that she mobilized parents to contribute based on a voluntary spirit, and not to pursue them to the end, forcing them to contribute is very likely to cause resentment and lawsuits.
"At the beginning of the school year, we will provide a budget with specific activities for parents to comment on. But many times, even after reaching an agreement, there are still parents who do not pay, maybe because they are having difficulties or maybe they do not agree but do not say anything. The Parents' Association must respect their decision. And the solution is that we, the Parents' Association, each contribute a little more to make up for the shortfall," Ms. Tram confided.
Ms. Tram believes that matters related to money are very sensitive. Therefore, the BĐDCMHS must not only be good at speaking but also be open and transparent in revenue and expenditure. In particular, the BĐDCMHS must not abuse its power.
"My child's class once raised nearly 100 million VND to buy an interactive board. When we had enough money, we asked the parents' group if there was anyone working in the industry or had knowledge or acquaintances with interactive board suppliers. If so, we invited that parent to go with the Parents' Committee to choose and buy.
We spent a morning going to the interactive board suppliers to see, then reported in the parent group about each type of board, price, advantages, disadvantages... for parents to choose together. Money is the common money of the whole class's parents, 1 dong is also the sweat and effort of the parents, the Parents' Association must use it appropriately, not waste it to be convincing," Ms. Tram added.
Money is easy, intelligence is difficult
"Mobilizing parents to contribute funds is the easiest thing to do, so many schools are focusing too much on this. In reality, mobilizing parents to contribute their efforts, time, and intelligence to the process of educating students is really difficult. But I think that is truly meaningful and has humanistic values," Associate Professor Vu Thi Hanh Thu affirmed.
Ms. Thu advised: "School principals need to suggest to the Parents' Council to implement. For example, at Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted, the principal suggested to the Parents' Council that the school is promoting the scientific research movement for students, and needs parents to participate in training students in scientific research skills and support groups in specific research topics.
So the Parents' Association announced the principal's invitation to all the parents in the class. As a result, not only me but also some other teachers and lecturers arranged their time to support the children in scientific research. Even when students in the school wanted to go to the physics and chemistry lab at the university to do research, we also created conditions.
My child's class's BĐDCMHS also organizes physics and chemistry review classes for students before their final semester exams; organizes classes to take international IT certification exams... Whatever is good for students and our children, we do."
Principals of some kindergartens and primary schools in Ho Chi Minh City expressed that without the cooperation of the Parents' Association, it would be very difficult for the school to carry out experiential and extracurricular activities... for students.
Ms. Dinh Tuyet Tram said that currently, schools are promoting extracurricular activities to educate students on ethics and life skills, such as spring festivals, lantern making competitions, flower arranging competitions, Mid-Autumn Festival fruit tray display competitions, experience activities in wrapping banh chung and banh tet; and experiential activities outside of school...
"Preschool and primary school students cannot go out to buy materials to prepare for those activities. Not to mention, for experiential activities outside of school, it is even more necessary to have more adults accompany teachers to support them in organizing and ensuring the safety of students.
Nowadays, every parent is busy, every parent has to go to work. Yet we have to arrange our work, spend a session or even a whole day to accompany the children, support the teachers in the organization process," said Ms. Tram.
Fumbling around not knowing where to start
During the field trip to write a series of articles about BĐDCMHS, the author of this article received the thoughts of many parents who are currently working in BĐDCMHS in high schools in Ho Chi Minh City. They want to contribute their efforts, not just their money. But they are confused about where to start and what to do.
Lost money, got cursed but... still smiling
Ms. Dinh Tuyet Tram accompanied her child in an experiential activity at Be Ngoan Kindergarten, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: NVCC
Many people often condemn the Board of Directors of the School for "drawing up" this or that item to collect money, saying that the school's facilities are for the State to take care of, so why does the Board of Directors of the School demand to purchase them? They do not know that in the current context of the state budget for education, public schools are only equipped with basic, minimal facilities.
For example, classrooms are only equipped with fans by the State while the weather in Ho Chi Minh City is always hot. Parents who want their children to study in a good environment must equip them with air conditioning.
Moreover, in the era of 4.0 technology, how many schools in Ho Chi Minh City are equipped with interactive boards by the State? If there are, they are used in the common hall, and students are only allowed to enter occasionally.
Furthermore, we are living in the digital age, most agencies and units provide computers to employees if their work requires working on computers. But the education sector does not provide computers to teachers. So where do teachers get the means to use digital lectures and innovate teaching methods?
Now, parents want their children to have lively lessons with pictures, clips... of course they have to contribute to buy interactive boards or at least buy projectors and TVs. In my child's class, I usually tell the parents that the Parents' Association will ask the school principal to let the class use that classroom throughout the grade, we spend money to buy equipment, our children are the direct beneficiaries.
If we have to move to another classroom, we will remove all the equipment and take it away. I read the newspaper and was surprised to see that some classes bought air conditioners this year and then had to pay for air conditioners the next school year because they moved to another classroom. What is the role of the Parents' Association that this situation happens? It is right that parents are upset.
A few days ago, parents who used to work for the BĐDCMHS had a chance to meet each other. We concluded that the BĐDCMHS are people who "eat at home, but take responsibility for the whole village", are often scolded by parents, often take money out of their own pockets to cover the shortfalls in school and class projects and activities, but still have to smile with the spirit of "peace is precious"...
Ms. Dinh Tuyet Tram (former head of the Parents' Council of Be Ngoan Kindergarten, former deputy head of the Parents' Council of Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City)
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ban-dai-dien-cha-me-hoc-sinh-co-nhung-nguoi-vac-tu-va-de-thuong-20241010091422081.htm
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