Teachers said that tuition exemption must go hand in hand with stopping "extra fees" in schools to be practical. To put it bluntly, we must take strong action against overcharging and have no tolerance for this illegal behavior.
On February 28, the Politburo agreed to the proposal of the Ministry of Education and Training to exempt tuition fees for students from preschool to general education from the beginning of the new school year 2025-2026 (September 2025 onwards), which is considered good news for the public. However, there are also some related proposals surrounding this story.
Free tuition must go hand in hand with stopping "extra fees"
Speaking to Dan Viet newspaper, Master of Linguistics Nguyen Mong Tuyen, a Literature teacher at Trung Phu High School, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City, commented: "As an educator for more than 15 years, I think free tuition is a very good policy, especially for families with difficult circumstances. I have met many students who are good at studying and hard-working but have to drop out of school because their parents cannot afford the school fees. If tuition is free, they will have the opportunity to continue going to school, reducing the pressure on their families.
In addition, I also really hope that free tuition will not only make it easier for students to go to school but also go hand in hand with socialized education policies to build a strong enough budget. From there, schools can maintain advanced facilities, invest in teaching quality and access modern teaching methods.
Students of Huynh Thuc Khang High School, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi. Photo: Tao Nga
Tuition exemption is a necessary policy but must be implemented systematically and accompanied by reasonable investment commitments, so that not only students but also teachers and the school system can develop sustainably."
Mr. Nguyen Minh Dat, a high school literature teacher in Ho Chi Minh City, also said: "Free tuition for students from kindergarten to high school shows the superiority of the regime and the State. It is the concern and practical work of the Party and State for the young generation - the future owners of the country."
However, Mr. Dat also worries that tuition exemption must go hand in hand with stopping "extra fees" in schools to be practical. To put it bluntly, we must take strong action to deal with overcharging and not be lenient with this illegal behavior. Only then will tuition exemption become meaningful.
Need to synchronize with other mechanisms
According to Dr. Hoang Ngoc Vinh, former Director of the Department of Vocational Education, Ministry of Education and Training, any country that cares about education will be a powerful country. However, tuition exemption needs to be synchronized with other mechanisms. Schools are not allowed to collect illegal fees in any form. Localities also need to have policies to compensate tuition fees for students in non-public schools, ensuring teachers' income to minimize extra teaching. Despite tuition exemption and reduction, the issue of investment in school maintenance still needs to be paid attention by local authorities to ensure a safe learning environment.
Sociology expert, Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Huu Quang also said that it is necessary to completely exempt tuition fees in public schools at all levels. Not only exempt tuition fees, but also eliminate all unreasonable fees in schools today, except for legitimate fees such as boarding fees, transportation fees... Unreasonable fees such as fees for student records, painting boards, buying lights, fans, buying chairs in the flag-raising yard, cleaning fees, security fees... of course public schools must take responsibility."
Writer Bui Ngoc Phuc stated his opinion: "Exemption of tuition fees from preschool to high school in the public system is a major policy of the Party and the State that is supported by society. Although tuition fees are not high, for many families with many children, it is still a significant expense.
However, in addition to tuition fees, parents are worried about voluntary fees at the beginning of the year, because they are a burden for many people, from the parent-teacher association fund to the construction and repair of facilities. Parents not only want to reduce their worries about fees at the beginning of the year, they need transparency to avoid the situation where each place collects different types of fees, or the disguise of fees under the guise of voluntary fees. Authorities need to strengthen supervision, only then will they avoid overcharging at the beginning of the new school year."
Mr. Ho Tuan Anh, principal of Quynh Phuong Secondary School, Hoang Mai town, Nghe An also said: "Two good news for students, parents and teachers are banning the collection of extra tuition fees and exempting tuition fees. I hope to add a fee for students to buy health insurance according to their household or need more incentives.
Source: https://danviet.vn/mien-hoc-phi-nhung-con-phu-phi-20250303103745968.htm
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