Class fund must return nearly 250 million to parents

Ho Chi Minh City, the Parents' Association of Grade 1/2 students at Hong Ha Primary School must return to parents VND247.5 million out of more than VND260 million spent.

Information released by the Department of Education and Training of Binh Thanh District on the morning of September 28.

The agency said that in the first meeting of the year, 29/32 parents (three absent) of class 1/2 of Hong Ha Primary School agreed to renovate the classroom for students to use for 5 years. The renovations included installing air conditioners, exhaust fans, flooring, installing classroom cabinets, shoe cabinets, building flower beds in front of the classroom, painting tables and chairs, and buying microphones for a total cost of about 227 million VND.

"Although parents voluntarily contributed, the mobilization and spending process was not in accordance with regulations, so the class's parent representative committee will refund this amount," the announcement stated.

In addition, some other expenses are also against regulations and must be returned, such as: opening ceremony performance, food and teddy bears during performance practice, support for teachers in the first semester, internet money, costumes of Hang and Cuoi, lanterns, etc. This amount is 20.5 million VND.

The total amount of money the representative board returned to the parents of the whole class was 247.5 million VND.

Income and expenditure at the beginning of the school year of class 1/2, Hong Ha Primary School. Photo: Provided by parents — Income and expenditure at the beginning of the school year of class 1/2, Hong Ha Primary School. Photo: *Provided by parents*

Hong Ha Primary School was newly built and put into use in 2000, with an area of nearly 6,000 m2. The school currently has nearly 2,000 students. According to the Department of Education and Training of Binh Thanh District, the classrooms here are fully equipped for teaching needs, including desks, chairs, lights, fans, and interactive boards.

The Department requested Hong Ha Primary School to seriously learn from experience and criticize the principal for not performing well in his management role. The school needs to criticize the homeroom teacher of class 1/2 and monitor and supervise the refund of money by the parents' representative committee.

In addition, the Department issued a document to rectify the collection and use of tuition fees and other fees at public schools. All fees must be fully and publicly announced in writing to parents and students. While waiting for instructions on collecting tuition fees and other fees for the 2023-2024 school year, schools are only allowed to temporarily collect boarding fees.

Hong Ha Primary School, Binh Thanh District. Photo: Le Nguyen — Gate of Hong Ha Primary School, Binh Thanh District, morning of September 28. Photo: *Le Nguyen*

On the night of September 26, information that the fund for class 1/2 of Hong Ha Primary School had spent more than 260 million VND was posted by a parent of the class, attracting attention on social networks.

According to this person, at the beginning of the year, the parents of the class agreed to contribute 10 million VND each to cover the cost of their children's education for 5 years. The total amount collected was 310 million VND.

Less than a month into the new school year, the class fund has already spent 17 items, including 220 million VND on repairing classrooms, buying air conditioners, fans and other equipment. Some parents are upset because they think this spending is high and they were not consulted.

Circular 55 of the Ministry of Education and Training stipulates that the operating budget of the parent-teacher association (parent fund) is from voluntary support and other legal funding sources. The head of this association coordinates with the homeroom teacher to plan the spending of the budget and only uses it after the entire group has agreed on it. The collection and spending must be transparent and democratic; after spending, the budget must be reported at parent meetings.

The amounts that the parent-teacher association cannot donate are: protecting facilities and security; looking after students' transportation; cleaning schools and classrooms; rewarding teachers; purchasing machinery, equipment, and teaching aids; repairing, upgrading, and building new school facilities...

Le Nguyen

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