Some provinces and cities offer 100% tuition fee waivers, while others do not. Why is that?

Readers of Thanh Nien Online are wondering why, as of now, only 8 provinces and cities have announced 100% tuition fee exemption from preschool to grade 12 for the 2024-2025 school year, while other localities haven't. Why is that?

Recently, Thanh Nien Online published an article stating that 8 provinces and cities will provide 100% tuition fee exemption for students from preschool to grade 12 in public educational institutions for the 2024-2025 school year: Da Nang, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Vinh Phuc, and Yen Bai.

Below this article, reader Chi Nguyen asks: "Why are there only 8 provinces and not the whole country? Are these 8 provinces poorer than the others? Or do these provinces have better social welfare systems than the others? It's unclear what principles or criteria are used for the exemptions and reductions, resulting in some provinces having them and others not?"

Thanh Niên Online would like to provide some information to our readers.

Students in Da Nang will receive a 100% tuition fee waiver from preschool to the end of grade 12 in the 2024-2025 school year.

State management of tuition fees

Government Decree No. 81/2021/ND-CP dated August 27, 2021, stipulates the mechanism for collecting and managing tuition fees for educational institutions within the national education system and policies on tuition fee exemption and reduction, support for learning costs; and service prices in the field of education and training.

According to Government Decree No. 81/2021/ND-CP dated August 27, 2021, the price of services in the field of education and training is the amount of money that users must pay for each service in the field of education, training and vocational education, including: tuition fees (according to different levels of education and training) and the price of other services in the field of education and training (admission service fees, etc.).

Tuition fees are the amount of money that learners must pay to cover part or all of the costs of educational and training services. The tuition fee level is determined according to the roadmap for ensuring the costs of educational and training services as stipulated in this Decree.

Regarding state management of service prices in the field of education and training, the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs are responsible for coordinating with the Ministry of Finance and other relevant ministries and agencies to perform the function of state management over tuition fees and prices of other services in the field of education and training.

"The People's Committee at the provincial level exercises state management over tuition fees and prices of other services in the field of education and training; issues economic-technical norms and cost norms applicable in the field of education and training for services for which economic-technical norms have not yet been issued, under the local authority's management; decides on the method of assigning tasks, placing orders, and bidding for the supply of products and services in the field of education and training; decides on the price of ordered services in the field of education and training included in the list of public services using budget funds under the local authority's management. The People's Committee at the provincial level submits to the Provincial People's Council for decision the framework or level of tuition fees for public preschool and general education; specifies the list of revenue items and levels, and the mechanism for managing revenue and expenditure for services supporting educational and training activities for public educational institutions under its management authority for application in the locality," Decree No. 81/2021/ND-CP dated... Government document dated August 27, 2021, clearly states this.

Schools in Yen Bai are in disarray after Typhoon No. 3. Yen Bai is one of eight provinces that will provide 100% tuition fee exemption from preschool to grade 12 in the 2024-2025 school year.

Tuition-free: Depending on each local government's budget.

Thus, the People's Committees of provinces and cities submit to the People's Councils of provinces and cities for decision the framework or level of tuition fees for public preschool and general education. The resolution of the People's Council of the province or city is issued, stipulating the tuition fees for public educational institutions in that province or city.

The provincial/city People's Council must also issue a resolution to support tuition fees for preschool children, primary and secondary school students, and students studying continuing education programs at the high school level in educational institutions within the province, specifying which academic year, in order to decide whether the province/city will provide 100% tuition fee support from preschool to grade 12 (or provide a certain amount of tuition fee reduction or exemption).

For example, on the afternoon of October 18, 2024, the 17th term of the Vinh Phuc Provincial People's Council discussed and passed a Resolution on tuition fee support for preschool children, primary and secondary school students, and students studying in the continuing education program at the high school level for the 2024-2025 school year.

Children from preschool to grade 12; and students studying continuing education programs at the high school level in public educational institutions who are required to pay tuition fees will receive a 100% tuition fee subsidy for the 2024-2025 school year, as stipulated in Resolution No. 08/2024/NQ-HĐND dated July 11, 2024, of the Provincial People's Council, which regulates tuition fees for public educational institutions in Vinh Phuc province from the 2024-2025 school year.

Quang Ninh province will waive 100% of tuition fees for students from preschool to grade 12 in the 2024-2025 school year.

Preschool children attending non-public institutions, and primary and secondary school students attending non-public educational institutions, will also receive the same level of support as preschool children and primary and secondary school students attending public educational institutions of the same level and in the same region, with tuition fees applied as in public schools.

The total estimated tuition fee support for the 2024-2025 school year is approximately 142 billion VND - from the Vinh Phuc provincial budget.

On September 23, 2024, the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Council passed a resolution to provide 100% tuition fee support for students from preschool to grade 12 in the 2024-2025 school year, with an estimated funding of approximately 167 billion VND from the provincial budget.

Alternatively, in Khanh Hoa province, for the first nine months of the 2024-2025 school year, the province will provide 100% tuition fee support for children from preschool to grade 12, and continuing education students studying at public educational institutions in the province. This support will be based on the tuition fee rates for the 2024-2025 school year (as stipulated in the previously issued resolution). The total budget for this 100% tuition fee waiver is over 75 billion VND, funded by the provincial budget...

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/co-tinh-thanh-mien-hoc-phi-100-co-noi-lai-khong-vi-sao-185241102233125101.htm