Expected to spend 30.6 trillion VND to exempt and support tuition fees from the 2025-2026 school year

On the morning of May 22, at the 9th Session of the 15th National Assembly, Ministerof Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son, authorized by the Prime Minister, presented the Draft Resolution of the National Assembly on tuition exemption and support for preschool children, general education students, and students of general education programs at educational institutions in the national education system.

Supplementing subjects exempted from and supported to pay tuition fees not yet regulated by law

The Minister said that, based on a review of current regulations, in addition to the subjects exempted, reduced, supported, and not having to pay tuition fees as prescribed by law, the Resolution adds subjects exempted, supported from paying tuition fees including: preschool children under 5 years old studying at educational institutions; high school students, and people studying general education programs at educational institutions.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son. (Photo: THUY NGUYEN)

According to the draft Resolution, the state budget will support tuition fees for preschool children, high school students, and those studying general education programs at public and private educational institutions to fully demonstrate the superiority of the regime, ensure consistent implementation of policies, fairness in access to education; encourage the development of non-public education, and enhance the socialization of education.

Regarding the impact on the state budget, the Government calculates that in the 2023-2024 school year, the country currently has 23.2 million students (of which: 21.5 million public students, accounting for 93%; 1.7 million non-public students, accounting for 7%). Number of students divided by level of education: 4.8 million preschool children (3.8 million public children; 1 million non-public children); 8.8 million primary school students, 6.5 million secondary school students; 2.99 million high school students.

Based on the average minimum tuition fees of the 3 regions (urban, rural, mountainous) in Decree No. 81/2021/ND-CP and Decree No. 97/2023/ND-CP to estimate, the total state budget expenditure to be paid to implement tuition exemption for preschool children, public primary school students and tuition support for preschool children, private primary school students is estimated at about 30.6 trillion VND.

Of which, the public sector is 28.7 trillion VND; the private sector: 1.9 trillion VND. The specific budget level to be guaranteed will depend on the specific tuition fee level of each province and centrally-run city under the authority of the provincial People's Council.

Scene of the morning meeting on May 22. (Photo: THUY NGUYEN)

The total state budget that has been and will be exempted, not collected, and supported tuition fees from September 1, 2025 according to current regulations is 22.4 trillion VND (of which: the public sector is 21.8 trillion VND; the private sector: 0.6 trillion VND).

The estimated additional state budget amount when the National Assembly Resolution is issued is 8.2 trillion VND (public sector: 6.9 trillion VND; private sector: 1.3 trillion VND).

It is expected that the National Assembly will consider and approve the draft Resolution at the 9th Session of the 15th National Assembly to promptly apply the policy from the 2025-2026 school year.

Carefully assess the ability of localities to balance their budgets.

Examining this content, Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Society Nguyen Dac Vinh emphasized that the Committee agrees with the necessity of issuing the Resolution for the reasons stated in the Government's Submission.

Accordingly, the issuance of the Resolution aims to promptly institutionalize the Party's policies, demonstrate the superiority of our regime, ensure fairness in access to education and the State's responsibility towards learners, care for the young generation and ensure social security.

The review agency basically agreed with the scope of regulation and subjects of application of the draft Resolution. Some opinions said that the draft Resolution should not re-regulate the subjects of learners who have enjoyed the policies of no tuition fees, exemption, and support for tuition payment as prescribed in Article 99 of the Law on Education.

National Assembly delegates attending the meeting. (Photo: THUY NGUYEN)

The Committee on Culture and Society also basically agreed with the policy of exempting and supporting tuition fees for preschool children and public, private and public secondary school students in the draft.

Regarding the method of paying tuition support for preschool children, high school students, and students of general education programs at private educational institutions, based on the opinions of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the Committee on Culture and Social Affairs proposes that the Government study and regulate the payment of tuition support for this group of subjects by directly providing it to the students.

Regarding the budget for implementing the Resolution, it is recommended that the drafting agency carefully assess the budget balancing capacity of localities, especially localities with difficult socio-economic conditions; add the budget for students studying general education programs at continuing education institutions and other educational institutions to the total state budget demand to exempt and support tuition fees from the 2025-2026 school year for the subjects according to the draft Resolution.

At the same time, propose the Government to adjust the 2025 budget estimate for tasks arising in 2025 associated with the implementation of this Resolution.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/du-kien-chi-306-nghin-ty-dong-thuc-hien-mien-ho-tro-hoc-phi-tu-nam-hoc-2025-2026-post881472.html