Free tuition for public school students: A decision with 'deep roots and lasting meaning'

The Politburo has just decided to exempt all tuition fees for students from kindergarten to public high school nationwide.

Students of Nguyen Du Secondary School, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City in an extracurricular activity - Photo: Provided by the school

This decision shows that we are gradually approaching the social welfare goal of Socialism, where people begin to enjoy universal education and free health care of new quality.

It must be said that we have had a long period of tuition exemption for all learners from kindergarten to university and postgraduate.

This policy started in the North after 1954, then nationwide after 1975 and lasted until 1990.

During the arduous war, during the period when the whole country was besieged and embargoed, and during the severe economic crisis, we realized Uncle Ho's burning dream of "everyone having food to eat, clothes to wear, and education to go to school".

Therefore, in the context of our country becoming a middle-class developed country, exempting tuition fees for general education is a must.

According to statistics, the country currently has 23.2 million students and if this policy is implemented, the state budget will have to pay an additional 30,000 billion VND/year. 30,000 billion is not a small number but it must be considered an investment for development.

The Politburo's decision has humanistic significance, encourages the spirit of the people of the whole country, and most importantly, changes the perception of the importance of education. Investing in education is the most "deep-rooted and lasting" policy.

This policy is especially meaningful for poor families in remote areas.

On another dimension, people worry that if tuition is exempted, will schools create additional fees and other funds to collect additional revenue?

This concern is not unfounded as many schools find ways to circumvent the law, regulations, and use fronts to raise money from parents.

Along with the tuition exemption policy, the Ministry of Education and Training should also issue circulars and control these disguised forms of collecting money. Once fees and funds flourish, it will also mean reducing the meaning of universal tuition exemption.

In addition, there is another thing that many people are wondering about. Tuition exemption for public school students, students in private schools do not need exemption because their parents have a higher income.

But in non-public schools, there are not only well-off families, but also many poor immigrant families.

Children of workers in industrial parks and enterprises cannot attend public schools but must attend private schools because their parents are not permanent residents of the area.

Tuition fees at these schools are a huge burden for them. Our country is implementing an administrative policy that is not limited by geographical space, people can do administrative procedures anywhere in this country.

So can this be applied in education, so that children of workers and immigrant laborers can also study in public schools and enjoy the tuition-free policy that the Politburo has just issued?

Exempting tuition fees has great significance in realizing a long-term process for the whole country: "Lifelong learning - the key for Vietnam to enter a new era" as General Secretary To Lam advised.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/mien-hoc-phi-cho-hoc-sinh-cong-lap-mot-quyet-dinh-mang-y-nghia-sau-re-ben-goc-20250305082900171.htm