How can we get parental support?

While the 2023-2024 school year saw the maximum daily meal fee for boarding students in Ho Chi Minh City regulated by Resolution 04 of the City People's Council (a maximum of 35,000 VND/student/day for public schools in Zone 1; and 32,000 VND/student/day in Zone 2), this year the fee will be collected based on an agreement with parents.

TRANSPARENCY AND CLARITY ARE NEEDED

The 17th session of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council, 10th term, held in July 2024, unanimously approved a resolution stipulating the fees, fee levels, and management mechanisms for revenue and expenditure related to services supporting educational activities of public educational institutions in the city during the 2024-2025 school year.

According to the resolution, in addition to the 9 service fees whose rates are stipulated by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council, the remaining 15 fees will be collected by educational institutions through agreements, including the fee for school lunches. Educational institutions will base their revenue and expenditure estimates for each item on the actual situation, facilities, and student needs, ensuring that revenue covers expenses and is consistent with the actual situation of the school year. Any increase in fees (if any) will not exceed 15% for the 2023-2024 school year.

Parents visit the kitchen and have lunch with their children at Trung Trac Primary School, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City.

Ms. Do Ngoc Chi, Principal of Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, said that upon receiving this information, not only she but also many administrators in public educational institutions in Ho Chi Minh City were pleased. This is because the contributions and suggestions from public educational institutions have been heard. During recent meetings of the Culture and Social Affairs Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council with public educational institutions in the area regarding the implementation of Resolution 04 of the People's Council and to gather opinions in preparation for the July 2024 session, most schools proposed increasing the cost of school lunches to ensure quality and nutrition for students. The schools proposed not limiting the maximum daily meal fee to 35,000 VND or 32,000 VND per student as stipulated in Resolution 04…

"Last school year, even though the school's lunch fee was 35,000 VND per student per day, according to Resolution 04, the school's principle was always to ensure that students' meals were safe, hygienic, and nutritious. However, it's clear that in the context of rising prices for everything, the school and the kitchen have to carefully consider and meticulously calculate how to ensure students have safe, satisfying, and nutritious meals," Ms. Chi said.

"Therefore, I believe that increasing the school lunch fee by 15%, in line with the current rising prices, would provide better meals for students. If done transparently, openly, clearly, with broad consultation and in accordance with regulations, parents would also support it," Ms. Chi stated.

Ms. Do Ngoc Chi added that the school is currently awaiting official guidance documents. However, according to her, to implement the plan, the school must proceed sequentially through several steps, such as holding meetings with the school's parent-teacher association, parents in each class, and the school's teaching staff to gather consensus from all parties. After that, the school will develop a revenue and expenditure budget plan, ensuring that revenue covers expenses, and that any increase does not exceed 15% for the 2023-2024 school year. This plan must be approved by the relevant management agency before it can be implemented.

For the new school year, the fee for school meals will be collected according to an agreement with parents, but it will be guaranteed not to increase by more than 15% compared to the previous school year.

COMPLETE AND TIMELY INFORMATION

The principal of a primary school in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, said: "From the new school year, the school can negotiate meal fees with parents, ensuring that the increase does not exceed 15% compared to the previous school year, which is very welcome. Because the top priority is the safety and quality of school meals for students."

According to this person, to build consensus, timely and transparent information about the policy, basis, and legal documents is certainly needed for parents. After that, surveys should be conducted, and listening sessions should be organized to gather parents' opinions through various channels. "I believe that if parents have timely and complete information, they will know how much food and other goods prices have increased, and understand that their children need quality meals at school. Then it won't be difficult for them to support the policy of increasing school meal fees, ensuring it doesn't exceed 15% of the previous school year's fee," this person explained.

Publicly disclose the quality of school lunch programs to parents.

Ms. Tran Thi Thao, a parent in Phuoc Long B Ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, said that besides wanting to gather widespread opinions on the cost of school lunches for her child in the new school year, she and many other parents also hope to participate in activities to evaluate the quality of school meals. This includes being able to view camera footage from the school cafeteria, and observing their children's meals in the classroom (either with prior notice or unexpectedly)... This is also a way for schools to publicly disclose the quality of school lunches to parents.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tien-an-ban-tru-thu-theo-thoa-thuan-lam-sao-de-phu-huynh-ung-ho-185240818180250192.htm