'Gifted Educator' Turned Into Housing, What Does Victory School Say?

The house has a license to be a garage for 2-wheelers, a 3-storey gifted education house, but the school owner said it was "specialist housing", currently occupied by a number of people - Photo: TRUNG TAN

On June 30, the leader of the People's Committee of Buon Ma Thuot City (Dak Lak) said that they will check the information about the school owner applying to build a garage, gifted education and then "magically" turn it into private housing; if there are any violations, they will be handled.

Gifted educators become "specialist housing" ?

According to the records, on February 23, 2024, the People's Committee of Buon Ma Thuot City granted a construction permit for a "3-storey 2-wheeled vehicle garage and vocational education building" to the Victory Primary, Secondary and High School (Victory School). The legal representative of this private school is Mr. Nguyen Van Hien, Chairman of the Board of Directors.

The construction permit shows that the construction area of ​​the project is ^543m2 and the total floor area is ^1,629m2 . The two projects in one permit (garage, gifted education house - PV) are licensed to be built on a campus of nearly 1.6 hectares that the school won the auction for land use rights and assets on the land since 2015.

Currently, 2 projects have been completed, especially the 3-storey house facing Ho Tung Mau street has been completed, separated with its own yard and gate.

However, after completion, this house was moved in by Mr. Hien's son and school staff. From the images we collected, the house licensed as a "3-storey gifted education" is actually being used as a private residence.

Tuoi Tre Online reporters contacted Mr. Hien to schedule a meeting. When we informed him about why the permit to build a "gifted education" facility had people living there, Mr. Hien snapped: "Why do you always ask about the school's internal affairs?"

When asked why the project was licensed as a place for gifted education but there was public opinion that the school was allowed to use it as a residence, Mr. Hien said: "Everything is licensed" and "That is housing for experts".

When we asked for a construction permit, Mr. Hien said: "Go to the Department of Construction to get it, I don't keep it."

Discussing this issue, a leader of Buon Ma Thuot City said that the above construction was built according to the license content. As for the school using the construction for purposes other than the licensed purpose, it will be inspected and handled immediately.

This leader also confirmed that up to now, Victory School has not been granted permission to build housing or specialist housing in this school.

"If you build a house in a school for living, it is not for the right purpose and against the law. The city will inspect, handle and inform later," he said.

Tuoi Tre Online will continue to inform when there are inspection results from Buon Ma Thuot City People's Committee.

Victory School still owes the province more than 25 billion VND in land rent.

Also related to this private school, the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee has just requested the Department of Finance and the Dak Lak Tax Department to collect more than 25 billion VND in land rent arrears from 2016 to present.

Accordingly, in 2015, Victory School won the auction of land and assets on land of Nguyen Du High School for the Gifted (formerly) at 1 Le Hong Phong, Tan Tien Ward, Buon Ma Thuot City, with a total area of ​​nearly 1.6 hectares. The value of the auctioned assets was nearly 28 billion VND, and the annual land rent was nearly 3.2 billion VND.

This school has paid nearly 28 billion VND for winning the auction of land, assets attached to the land and teaching from 2016 to present. However, for the past 8 years, the school has not paid the annual land rent (a total of more than 25 billion VND).

When "reminded of debt", on March 6, 2024, Victory School issued a document stating that the Dak Lak authorities' collection of nearly 3.2 billion VND in land rent/year from the school was not in accordance with regulations. Victory School cited regulations that business projects (socialization) in the fields of education, vocational training, health, culture, sports, etc. are exempted from land rent.

Currently, Victory School has only paid the auction winning price for land and assets on the land, but more than 25 billion VND in annual land rent (nearly 3.2 billion VND/year) has not been paid - Photo: TRUNG TAN

Regarding this, Mr. Bui Van Yen - Director of Dak Lak Department of Finance - said that following the Prime Minister's direction, the Ministry of Finance has twice clearly responded that Victory School's case is not exempted from land rent reduction.

In addition, the order, procedures, and plan for auctioning the old houses and land of Nguyen Du High School for the Gifted are all in accordance with legal regulations and local realities. The auction results have also been approved since 2015.

Victory School won the auction for land and assets on land, and paid annual land rent to implement the school project, but was not assigned land by the Provincial People's Committee to implement the project, so it is not eligible for the exemption and reduction policy according to regulations.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nha-giao-duc-nang-khieu-bien-thanh-nha-o-truong-victory-noi-gi-20240630102119357.htm