Director of Hanoi Department of Education: Private schools should not charge reservation fees

According to the Director of the Departmentof Education , it is not advisable for private schools to collect deposits and seat reservations. He will propose dissolving the school if serious violations are discovered.

Mr. Tran The Cuong, Director of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, expressed this opinion at the Conference on Guidance for Primary School Admissions for the 2024-2025 School Year on April 16.

According to him, the schools explained that this fee was to ensure stability and avoid parents submitting and withdrawing applications, causing confusion. However, he disagreed.

"There should be no deposit fee, because doing so would destroy the pedagogical and humane nature of the school," said Mr. Cuong. "Of course, this is a civil agreement between parents and the school, but from an educational perspective, it is not good. I suggest that schools learn from this experience."

In addition, schools must create maximum conditions for students. Mr. Cuong gave an example: if a student has applied to a private school but later gets accepted to a public school, the school should withdraw the application and transfer it.

Late last month, the Department requested that schools not collect deposit fees. The agency said it would coordinate with relevant agencies to increase inspections and checks and strictly handle any violations found.

Mr. Cuong warned that he would submit a proposal to the City People's Committee to dissolve the school if serious violations were discovered that would destroy culture and humanity in the educational environment.

Director of Hanoi Department of Education and Training Tran The Cuong. Photo: Thanh Hang — Director of Hanoi Department of Education and Training Tran The Cuong. Photo: *Thanh Hang*

Hanoi has nearly 600 private schools, from kindergarten to high school. These schools often recruit students by reviewing academic records or organizing their own exams.

In addition to tuition and expected fees for uniforms, facilities, boarding services, and transportation, many schools require parents to pay an additional registration fee and admission fee if they are admitted. This fee is usually from 1.5 million VND or more, many schools charge 10-20 million VND. If the student is admitted, the school will deduct this amount from the expenses. If the student is not admitted, depending on the school, parents may or may not receive a refund.

Thanh Hang

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