No school fund collection, can it be replaced with 'sponsorship mobilization'?

The fundraising plan of Nguyen Thi Dieu High School (District 3) makes parents question whether this is a school fund or a class fund.

Is fundraising a school fund or class fund?

Recently, schools in Ho Chi Minh City have held parent-teacher meetings and announced the school year’s revenues. Among them, there is a fundraising amount that parents are interested in and wonder if it is the name of the previous school fund contribution?

Parents of students at Nguyen Thi Dieu High School (District 3) said that the homeroom teacher informed them about the school's plan to raise funds for the 2024-2025 school year. Accordingly, depending on the parents' contributions, the school will be able to equip air conditioners, support funding for poor students, support movement activities, and support students' scientific research...

Parents of students at Le Thanh Ton High School (District 7) reported that they had paid 300,000 VND for the school's fundraising fund and 300,000 VND for the class fund. From these reports, parents of students believe that the fundraising money collected by the school is actually also the school's fund.

Responding to the press, leaders of the above high schools said that the schools had mobilized sponsorship but according to Circular 16 and had built a budget and plan for the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training to approve, not arbitrarily collecting school or class funds.

For example, the leader of Le Thanh Ton High School (District 7) said that the school has a plan to mobilize funding with a total amount of about 428 million VND for equipment, minor repairs, support for cultural and sports activities, movements, camps, and support for students' studies...

The school does not use parent representatives to mobilize students' funds.

In response to the complaints from parents, Thanh Nien reporter discussed with Mr. Tran Khac Huy, Head of Financial Planning Department of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, whether the money raised for sponsorship is school fund money?

Mr. Tran Khac Huy affirmed that in schools there is no concept of school fund or class fund.

Mr. Huy pointed out that in reality, school principals easily confuse Circular 16 of the Ministry of Education and Training regulating funding for educational institutions and Circular 55 of the Ministry of Education and Training promulgating the charter of the parent representative board, leading to parents complaining about overcharging.

Accordingly, Mr. Huy suggested that the school carefully study the above two circulars. Absolutely do not take advantage of the regulations in Circular 55 to mobilize funding. The parent representative board mobilizes funding to have operating funds to serve the students themselves, not to have operating funds for the school. The school does not use the parent representative board to mobilize revenue.

The Head of the Financial Planning Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training emphasized that the principal needs to apply Circular 16 to mobilize sponsorship, with discussion, exchange, and agreement with the school's parent representative board. The mobilization is only for minor repairs and practical educational activities for students. The mobilization plan must be approved by the Department of Education and Training before the school organizes implementation. In particular, when building a mobilization plan, the school must have clear goals, not build a widespread mobilization plan.

At the same time, Mr. Tran Khac Huy reminded schools not to develop widespread mobilization plans that affect parents and schools.

Circular 55 issued on November 22, 2021 by the Ministry of Education and Training stipulates that the operating costs of the class parent representative committee come from voluntary support and other legal funding sources for the class parent representative committee.

The collection and expenditure of funds by the parents' representative committee must ensure the principles of transparency and democracy. After spending, the financial settlement must be publicly reported at the class parent meetings and the school parent representative committee meetings. There is no regulation on the average level of financial support for parents.

The parents' representative board is not allowed to collect donations that do not directly serve the activities of the parents' representative board: Protecting school facilities, ensuring school security; supervising students' vehicles; cleaning classrooms and schools; rewarding school administrators, teachers and staff; purchasing machinery, equipment and teaching aids for schools, classrooms or for school administrators, teachers and staff; supporting management work, organizing teaching and learning and educational activities; repairing, upgrading and constructing new school facilities.

Circular 16 issued on August 3, 2028 by the Ministry of Education and Training regulates the mobilization and receipt of sponsorship from public schools to implement the following contents:

Providing equipment and supplies for teaching and learning; equipment for scientific research; renovating, repairing, and constructing construction items for educational activities at educational institutions; Supporting educational, training, and scientific research activities in educational institutions.

Do not solicit sponsorship to pay for teaching fees; expenses directly related to managers, teachers, lecturers and staff, security and protection activities; fees for looking after students' vehicles; fees for maintaining classroom and school hygiene; rewards for managers, teachers and staff; costs to support the management of educational institutions.

To carry out sponsorship, if the school has a need, the principal must make a clear plan, including what activities to spend on, what the budget is, and how to mobilize.

After that, the primary and secondary school leaders must submit it to the Department of Education and Training; and the high school leaders must submit it to the Department of Education and Training for consideration and approval. After being approved by the education management agency, the fundraising plan must be publicly posted at the school.

In addition to mobilizing funds from parents, general schools can mobilize additional agencies and businesses in the area. The school must have a team to receive sponsorship, there is no regulation on the amount of contribution and the contribution is completely voluntary.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khong-thu-quy-truong-co-duoc-thay-bang-khoan-van-dong-tai-tro-185240930151703668.htm