Ministry of Education and Training proposes to exempt and reduce tuition fees for students in flood-hit areas

After assessing the severe impacts caused by Typhoon Yagi, on September 18, the Ministry of Education and Training requested localities to consider supporting students, especially those in areas affected by natural disasters, based on the level of damage suffered by people.

The Ministry of Education and Training proposes to exempt tuition fees for students in flood-affected areas. (Source: Minh Chuan School, Yen Bai)

After assessing the severe impacts caused by Typhoon Yagi, on September 18, the Ministry of Education and Training requested localities to consider supporting students, especially those in areas affected by natural disasters, based on the level of damage suffered by people.

Previously, the agency had requested universities to prioritize allocating resources to exempt tuition fees and have financial support policies suitable for each student; guiding students to borrow capital and overcome difficulties after the storm. Currently, tuition policy is under the authority of localities and universities.

According to Decree 81 (2021) and Decree 97 (2023) of the Government, the ceiling for public tuition fees in preschools and general education ranges from 50,000 to 650,000 VND per student, per month. Currently, localities collect 8,000 to 340,000 VND, depending on the level of education and location. Only 5-year-old preschool children and primary school students are exempt from tuition fees.

By mid-September, more than 40 provinces and cities had approved tuition fees for the new school year. Of these, four localities fully supported preschool children through grade 12: Khanh Hoa, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Hai Phong and Da Nang. Long An alone reduced tuition fees by 50% for children under 5 years old and 100% for public secondary school students. In addition, students under the policy are supported according to Government regulations.

For university level, tuition fees range from nearly 2 million to 25 million VND per month, commonly 2-4 million VND. Many schools have proactively counted the number of students affected by Typhoon Yagi to provide financial support, such as extending tuition payment deadlines and granting scholarships.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training as of September 16, the education sector in 18 provinces and cities suffered losses of more than VND1,200 billion in facilities and teaching equipment. Students in 18 northern provinces and cities lost nearly 41,600 textbooks due to flooding. Typhoon Yagi and its circulation also caused the deaths of 52 students, children and 3 teachers; a number of students and teachers were missing or injured; 17 schools could not be restored and had to be rebuilt in the coming time; 99 schools have not yet determined the time to reopen to receive students for in-person learning.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/bo-gddt-de-nghi-mien-giam-hoc-phi-cho-hoc-sinh-vung-bao-lu-286876.html