Minister of Education and Training: Primary school admissions in Hanoi no longer have to 'queue'

Ministerof Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that there is no longer any queuing in enrollment in Hanoi. (Photo: Nhu Y)

On the afternoon of May 22, the National Assembly discussed the draft Resolution of the National Assembly on exemption and support of tuition fees for preschool children, high school students, and those studying general education programs. The new point of the draft is that the State will support tuition fees for both preschool children and high school students studying at private educational institutions.

Delegate Nguyen Thi Lan ( Hanoi Delegation) said that exempting tuition fees at public schools could cause a sharp increase in the number of students transferring from private schools to public schools, leading to the risk of overload. The delegate suggested adding regulations or assigning the Government to develop a synchronous investment plan for facilities and teacher staffing, ensuring truly uniform training quality.

Ms. Lan pointed out that there are actually several types of high-quality public educational institutions, gifted schools, experimental practice schools, and private schools. "So how is the tuition-free policy implemented?", the delegate asked. According to Ms. Lan, the resolution has not yet clearly stated the regulations for the above types.

Meanwhile, delegate Bui Hoai Son (Hanoi Delegation) said that the total budget cost needed to supplement tuition exemption is about 8,200 billion VND per year. With Hanoi's large population and high school density, the budget will certainly be under great pressure.

However, the delegate emphasized that this is the right, accurate and worthy investment. Because it not only helps reduce the financial burden on families, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic and in the context of escalating living costs, but also has a spillover effect on social consumption, strengthens trust in the regime, and creates a foundation for future human resources. Mr. Son proposed that the National Assembly and the Government need to have a mechanism in parallel with the tuition exemption policy to ensure the quality of education.

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Council Nguyen Ngoc Tuan said that in addition to the tuition exemption policy, General Secretary To Lam has assigned the city to further study the free and subsidized lunch for students. The city People's Committee is studying to report to the City Party Committee and the City People's Council on this issue. Mr. Tuan affirmed that this is a very humane and meaningful policy and Hanoi is very responsible in implementing it.

Speaking later, in response to concerns that tuition exemptions could lead to students switching from private to public schools, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son pointed out that the proportion of public schools is very high. Non-public schools in Hanoi are also willing to invest and have to "wait a long line" in enrollment.

Since 2024, the capital's education sector has done a very important job of recruiting students online, which is also a progress for the capital's education sector. The capital's education sector has switched to recruiting students online, "without queuing or knocking down the door like before"; but through the numbers, it shows that the number of students entering private schools in Hanoi is under no less pressure than public schools.

The Minister of Education and Training also said: "Of course, this concern must be considered, but the reality of enrollment in recent years shows that this concern is not too big."

Regarding tuition support for non-public students, the Minister said that the People's Councils of provinces and cities will determine the tuition level to support public schools. At that time, students of non-public schools will be supported at the same level.

Regarding the form of payment, for public schools, the State will directly provide funds to the school based on the number of students. For non-public schools, the State will not pay tuition fees for students but will partially support them by providing funds directly to students.

This option is also suitable in the current digital transformation conditions. The Minister said that currently, 10 localities nationwide have implemented tuition exemption. For localities that have not yet balanced their budgets, the State will use the central budget to compensate. Accordingly, the total of more than 30,000 billion VND to implement tuition exemption has been calculated for provinces and cities that have not yet balanced their budgets.

Regarding the proposal to exempt tuition fees and limit the collection of other fees in schools, Minister Nguyen Kim Son said that extra teaching and learning in schools only applies to three groups: weak students, gifted students, and students preparing for graduation exams. The consideration of support for schools and teachers will depend on each locality, but in principle, it is the responsibility of the school.

In the conclusion, the General Secretary directed the Ministry to come up with a plan to organize a second class for students, with the spirit of not collecting fees or tuition. The Ministry is implementing the plan to apply from the new school year. According to the Minister of Education and Training, all are aiming for public general education without collecting tuition fees.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/bo-truong-gddt-tuyen-sinh-dau-cap-o-ha-noi-da-khong-con-canh-xep-hang-315272.html