'Not increasing tuition fees is a major challenge for the education sector.'

Deputy Minister Hoang Minh Son said that not increasing tuition fees for the 2023-2024 school year will reduce the burden on parents but poses a major challenge for the education sector.

On the afternoon of August 5th, at the regular government press conference, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son stated that the government's policy of not increasing tuition fees for the next academic year aims to stabilize the macroeconomic situation , ensure social security, and stabilize people's lives.

"We will not increase tuition fees to reduce the burden on parents with children attending school, but this is a major challenge for the education sector to fulfill its nhiệm vụ effectively," Mr. Son said, adding that the Ministry of Education and Training is finalizing a draft amendment to Decree 81 on public school tuition fees, seeking opinions from various ministries and agencies before submitting it to the Government.

According to Mr. Son, general education, which has a welfare and social security nature, is primarily funded by the state. The Ministry requests that localities pay attention to ensuring budget allocation and maintaining stable living conditions so that teachers can work with peace of mind and ensure the necessary conditions for implementing the 2018 general education program.

In higher education, tuition fees are currently the primary source of funding. Universities, tasked with implementing one of the three strategic breakthroughs—sustainable human resource development—have been significantly impacted by the pandemic and have not increased tuition fees for the past three years.

In recent times, the Government has implemented many solutions to alleviate difficulties for businesses. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training will coordinate with relevant units to propose support solutions to help schools, especially those that are self-sufficient in covering their operating expenses, to compensate for deficits and overcome difficulties in maintaining the quality of education.

Mr. Son believes that whether tuition fees remain unchanged or are adjusted, the total resources allocated to education (including finances, staff, facilities, etc.) need to be maintained. This is the regulatory role of the State.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son answers questions at the government press conference on the afternoon of August 5th. Photo: Nhat Bac — Deputy Minister of Education and Training Hoang Minh Son answers questions at the government press conference on the afternoon of August 5th. Photo: *Nhat Bac*

According to Decree 81, from the next academic year, the tuition fee ceiling (maximum amount that can be collected) for public universities that are not yet self-sufficient in covering their operating expenses (not yet autonomous) will be 1.41-2.76 million VND per month, double the previous level (0.98-1.43 million VND). Universities that are autonomous, depending on the level of autonomy, can collect up to 2-2.5 times the above amount (2.8-6.9 million VND per month). For programs that have achieved quality accreditation, universities are free to determine their own tuition fees.

At the end of July, the Government Office announced the directive of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, requesting the Ministry of Education and Training to take the lead in amending this decree, in the direction of not increasing tuition fees for the 2023-2024 school year.

Many universities are worried because their budgets have been cut after gaining autonomy, with some experiencing a 100% reduction. Meanwhile, tuition fees remain unchanged, making it difficult to ensure quality education, retain talented faculty, and invest in facilities.

Comment (0)