Apax still owes over 93 billion VND in tuition fees in Ho Chi Minh City.

An Apax center in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: TRONG NHAN

On the afternoon of March 12th, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training submitted a report to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee regarding the situation of Apax Leaders English centers in the city.

Outstanding tuition fees, teacher salaries, and social insurance contributions.

Accordingly, on February 26, 2024, the Department of Education and Training received a report from Apax. In it, the unit recommended continuing the temporary suspension of operations at Apax Leaders 5 and 15 language centers until June 2024 (from March 2024 to June 2024, the unit will provide online classes for students), requesting the dissolution of 26 centers (due to delays in liquidating the premises, the dissolution application has not yet been completed), and requesting the temporary closure of 13 centers pending restructuring and relocation.

The total number of students at Apax Leaders language centers in the city is 11,295, including 839 students currently studying in person, 6,072 students who have deferred their studies, and 4,384 students who have withdrawn their tuition fees.

According to Apax, the total tuition fee to be repaid is 108.1 billion VND, of which 14.3 billion VND has been repaid, leaving approximately 93.8 billion VND still owed.

The unit proposed a plan from January 2025 to December 2025, paying 4 million VND each quarter, evenly distributed among parents until completion. The remaining debt would be carried over to the following year.

In addition, the unit owes teachers and staff 11.5 billion VND in salaries up to February 2023 and 9 billion VND in rent for premises.

According to the Department of Education and Training, the unit has yet to report on the specific plans and progress for rectifying violations and assigning responsibility to students, individuals, and related organizations, ensuring compliance with the law as required by the Department of Education and Training.

Furthermore, according to information from the Ho Chi Minh City Social Insurance agency, Apax's branch also delayed paying health insurance and social insurance contributions totaling 31 billion VND for Vietnamese employees and 1.3 billion VND for foreign employees.

Encourage other language centers to accept Apax students.

On March 6, 2024, the Department of Education and Training invited the legal representative of the Apax English Joint Stock Company branch to a meeting.

During the meeting, Ms. Doan Thi Thanh Thuy, CEO of Apax English Joint Stock Company, reported that the company continues to face many financial difficulties, only having enough funds to maintain online teaching and review sessions for students at the present time.

The company needs more time to work with investors to develop a plan for reopening centers in the city and a plan for refunding tuition fees to parents, paying staff salaries, and paying taxes and social insurance as required.

At this meeting, the unit requested the dissolution of 26 centers and the reorganization and relocation of 13 centers.

The Department of Education and Training has requested the unit to report before March 15, 2024, on the following contents: registration documents for dissolution of centers that no longer meet the conditions for educational operation as prescribed; completion of procedures related to tax and social insurance debts; plan for settling outstanding salaries, social insurance for employees and other allowances (if any); specific plan and roadmap for refunding tuition fees to parents; plan to ensure educational operation for the two foreign language centers Apax Leaders 05 and Apax Leaders 15.

The Department of Education and Training also continues to coordinate with the Department of Planning and Investment, the City Tax Department, the City Social Insurance agency, and other relevant units to review legal documents and assess the conditions for continued operation of the remaining Apax Leaders English centers in the city.

The Department of Education and Training will encourage foreign language centers in the area to support the acceptance of students from Apax Leaders foreign language center with preferential tuition fees, in case these centers do not meet the conditions to continue operating.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/apax-con-no-hon-93-ti-dong-hoc-phi-tai-tp-hcm-20240312165611189.htm