The Department of Education and Training prohibits schools from using parent funds to pay for cleaning, purchasing machinery, equipment, and teaching aids, after the class fund spent more than 260 million VND, causing a stir.
On September 29, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training issued a document to rectify the collection and expenditure activities at the beginning of the school year and the mobilization of sponsorship and operating costs of the parent-teacher association.
The Department said that the parents' representative committee of grade 1/2 students, Hong Ha Primary School and some other units collected and spent class funds in violation of regulations, causing a stir and confusion among parents.
The Department strictly prohibits the use of operating funds of the parent-teacher association (parent fund) to pay for school cleaning, reward managers, teachers, and staff; purchase machinery, equipment, and teaching aids for the school; repair or upgrade, and build new school facilities, etc. The operating funds of this fund must be agreed upon by the principal and the head of the association and used only for the direct activities of the association.
These contents are according to Circular 55 from 2011 of the Ministry of Education and Training.
Regarding sponsorship, the Department requires schools to comply with Circular 16 of the Ministry and the city's instructions. Accordingly, the sponsorship plan must clearly state the purpose, beneficiaries, budget estimates and must be approved by the superior agency. The sponsorship is voluntary, not imposed, expanding the scope of sponsorship, not only focusing on parents.
"Mobilizing, receiving, managing and using sponsorships against regulations may result in administrative sanctions or criminal prosecution," the Department of Education and Training emphasized.
Yesterday, answering VnExpress , Mr. Ho Tan Minh, Chief of Office of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, said that Circular 55 requires the parent-teacher association not to force parents to donate to repair schools or purchase equipment. However, if parents voluntarily and agree to contribute and sponsor, then Circular 16 will be implemented.
Classroom 1/2, Hong Ha Primary School, after renovation, installation of air conditioner, fan, TV. Photo: DV
In addition, the Department requires schools to only collect tuition fees when notified and instructed by the management agency. Currently, schools are allowed to collect fees for educational services and support according to regulations of the City People's Council.
The Departments of Education and Training are assigned to advise the People's Committees of districts and towns to direct the supervision and establishment of inspection teams to inspect the revenue and expenditure situation at the beginning of the school year, and to rectify the situation of over-collection or illegal collection of fees. In case of illegal collection, the school principal will be strictly punished.
On the night of September 26, information that the school's class 1/2 fund had spent more than 260 million VND was posted by a parent, attracting attention on social media. According to this person, at the beginning of the year, the parents of the class agreed to contribute 10 million VND each to the fund 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.
The Binh Thanh Department of Education and Training criticized the principal and asked the school to return nearly 250 million VND to the parents. On the evening of September 28, the parents of this class received nearly 9.6 million VND per person.
Le Nguyen
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