Paying hundreds of millions of VND/year in tuition fees, Hanoi parents are shocked to learn their children are 'studying illegally'

Having paid hundreds of millions of dong in tuition fees per school year, when her child had just finished first grade, Ms. Ha was shocked to learn that her child's records were not in the education sector's database. This parent was worried that her child would likely have to repeat first grade.

Speaking with VietNamNet reporter , Ms. Vu Thu Ha, a parent whose child is studying in grade 1 at Thang Long International Primary School (Bill Gate School, Hanoi), said that although her child has finished grade 1 in the 2024-2025 school year, the school has not yet updated the score information of that school year to the education sector's database.

When investigating, she and many other parents were shocked to learn that in 2024-2025, the school was not given a quota but still enrolled students and taught.

Because the school does not have information on the industry data system, many parents want to transfer their children to another school but cannot. After many meetings with parents, the school still promises, but does not give satisfactory answers.

“At the meeting on July 30, the school admitted that it could not update the student database to the Department's system and took responsibility for the missing information on the students' digital report cards,” Ms. Ha said indignantly.

This parent said that at the time of enrollment, she did not know that the school had no quota. “At that time, I saw the school posting enrollment on various information channels. Many of my family’s acquaintances also sent their children to study here, so I trusted them and wanted them to study near home for convenience.”

It is known that the tuition fee at this school is about 100 million VND/year. Currently, Ms. Ha and many other parents have sent a petition to the Department of Education and Training, the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Hanoi People's Committee, hoping that the authorities will soon intervene so that students can feel secure in the new school year.

Receipt of tuition fee for one semester at Thang Long International Primary School. Photo: PHCC

Not only Ms. Ha, many parents in her child's class want to transfer their child to another school but cannot because there is no database of the child's first grade on the digital report card. A few parents have transferred their child to a new school but still lack documents.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Manh, a parent of a class 1A3 student, said that he recently applied to transfer his child to another school. The receiving school still requires parents to notify the old school to update their child’s first grade results on the education sector’s database. If they are not updated, the child may have to repeat first grade. The new school is only responsible for the scores from second grade on the report card.

“If there is no data from grade 1, how will the children move to the next level? This greatly affects the children's rights,” said Mr. Manh.

This parent also said that previously he had no access to information that the school had not been assigned enrollment quotas.

The student's profile is not available in the education sector database. Photo: PHCC

Recently, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy, the school's principal, wrote a letter of apology for not updating information in a timely manner, causing parents to worry about enrollment and management of first grade student records for the 2024-2025 school year.

Explaining why the school was not assigned a quota but still enrolled, Ms. Thuy said that for the 2024-2025 school year, the school submitted a plan for enrolling first graders to the management agencies but then did not receive a list of assigned quotas.

“The enrollment process is still taking place normally, openly and transparently, based on practical needs and parents’ wishes. We still organize classes for the children, periodically report to management agencies and urgently coordinate with authorities to complete the documents in accordance with regulations,” Ms. Thuy stated in the letter.

At the meeting with parents on August 15, the Department of Culture and Society of Dinh Cong Ward affirmed that the unit had sent a document to the Hanoi Department of Education and Training to report the incident and ask for instructions to stabilize the educational situation in the area.

This department has also advised on plans to inspect non-public educational establishments in the ward. On August 14, the inspection team worked with Thang Long International Primary School.

The leader of Dinh Cong ward said that the ward is coordinating with competent authorities to resolutely handle violations and ensure the rights of students.

Thang Long International Primary School is located at Lot X1, Bac Linh Dam Urban Area. Currently, on the official website, the school continues to post enrollment information for the 2025-2026 school year.

Massive illegal training for second degrees: How are students' rights resolved? Despite having paid in full and completed the program, many students in the second degree class have yet to receive their diplomas. The school said that because it does not open classes, it cannot resolve all issues related to students' rights, including tuition fees.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dong-hoc-phi-ca-tram-trieu-nam-phu-huynh-ha-noi-ta-hoa-khi-biet-con-hoc-chui-2432912.html