This policy helps ensure greater uniformity and fairness in the implementation of the national defense and security module at training institutions.
Tuition fees are not uniform.
The National Assembly has just passed a Resolution on a number of special and outstanding mechanisms and policies to achieve breakthroughs in education and training development. Accordingly, the State will ensure resources to waive tuition fees and provide textbooks for the subject of National Defense and Security Education for students according to a roadmap stipulated by the Government. The Resolution takes effect from January 1, 2026.
National Defense and Security Education (NDSE) is a compulsory subject for university students. The complete waiver of tuition and course fees is expected to significantly reduce the financial burden on students, especially since many institutions also charge additional fees for accommodation and utilities during on-campus study.
According to Circular 05/2020/TT-BGDĐT of the Ministry of Education and Training , the National Defense and Security Education program consists of 4 modules with a total duration of 165 hours. The current tuition fees are determined by each training institution, with significant differences between schools, commonly ranging from 3 to 8 million VND, and some schools charging over 20 million VND for this module.
Many training institutions are applying different fees, such as Hanoi University at 5.7 million VND;FPT University at 1.5 million VND, Dong A University in Da Nang at 3 million VND, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry at 6 million VND, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City at 1.35 million VND, while Ho Chi Minh City University of Law charges the highest fees, ranging from 11.2 to 23.87 million VND, depending on the training program.
The above fees do not include the cost of accommodation, meals, and utilities when students study in person, making this course a frequent subject of debate, especially in places where the fees are equivalent to an entire semester's tuition.
According to Mr. Nguyen Hoan Viet, Vice Rector of the University of Commerce: Every year, students of the university study the National Defense and Security Education course at the National Defense and Security Education Center of Hanoi Pedagogical University 2. The tuition fee is set by the Center, approximately over 1 million VND. In addition, students pay extra for meals (70,000 VND/day), equipment storage, transportation, electricity and water.
According to Mr. Nguyen Trung Nhan, Head of the Training Department at Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry, the university operates autonomously, and students have 8 credits in National Defense and Security Education, with a tuition fee of 720,000 VND per credit, totaling approximately 6 million VND for this subject.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tran Dinh Ly, Vice Rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry, stated that the tuition fee for National Defense and Security Education for students at the main campus in Ho Chi Minh City is 1.3 million VND. Students at the Ninh Thuan branch, studying at the National Defense and Security Center of Nha Trang University, pay 2.5 million VND.
Nguyen Van Trung, a student at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, said: "At the end of a one-month National Defense and Security Education course, students have to pay a considerable amount of extra money. Completely waiving tuition and textbook fees under the new resolution is expected to significantly reduce the financial burden on students and ensure fairness among training institutions."
Humanitarian policy
Mr. Tran Ngoc Thanh, Director of the Department of National Defense and Security Education (Ministry of Education and Training), believes that waiving tuition fees and textbook costs for the subject of National Defense and Security Education is a correct decision, demonstrating the special attention of the Party and the State to education in general and National Defense and Security Education in particular.
According to the assessment of the Department of National Defense and Security Education (Ministry of Education and Training), in the past period, vocational education institutions, autonomous higher education institutions teaching the subject of National Defense and Security Education, and National Defense and Security Education centers have effectively implemented regulations on organizing teaching and learning; training agencies have advised, developed, managed, and operated training plans for the subject of National Defense and Security Education in accordance with the prescribed program and content.
Departments and faculties base their teaching plans on the schedules of each training period; assign lecturers to prepare lectures and lesson plans for modules and lessons, and organize the review of lectures strictly in accordance with regulations. The lectures have been promptly adjusted, supplemented, and updated with content based on the training provided by the Ministry of Education and Training on national defense and security education.
Students participating in the course are organized into concentrated study sessions, ensuring compliance with regulations and suitability to the practical conditions of each educational institution, and effectively managing the learning outcomes of the course. The management and training of students participating in the basic National Defense and Security Education course have been seriously implemented by educational institutions and National Defense and Security Education centers.
Many higher education institutions and centers that have autonomy in teaching the subject of National Defense and Security Education, based on the curriculum and content stipulated in Circular 05 and the textbook for the subject of National Defense and Security Education, have proactively compiled sets of materials and lectures for use in their schools and centers, while ensuring the availability of all types of materials and specialized topics to serve the teaching of the subject of National Defense and Security Education as prescribed.
Higher education institutions and National Defense and Security Education Centers have implemented software for checking grades and registering for National Defense and Security Education courses, and publicly announced information on diploma and certificate issuance on their websites. This facilitates student monitoring and verification, as well as the compilation and management of results and the creation of lists of students eligible for National Defense and Security Education certificates.
The implementation of joint training programs in National Defense and Security Education during the academic year has been thoroughly understood and seriously implemented by higher education institutions, vocational schools, and National Defense and Security Education centers in accordance with regulations. The National Defense and Security Education centers have successfully organized conferences on joint training programs in National Defense and Security Education, thereby evaluating the results of the joint training program during the academic year; developing plans; and identifying measures to ensure effective student placement and improve training quality.
Mr. Tran Van Tien, a former student of the University of Construction, expressed his opinion: National defense training is a mandatory requirement related to national security and defense, similar to military service. Waiving tuition fees and providing free national defense education textbooks is a sound policy, not only helping students reduce their financial burden but also contributing to improving the quality of this subject in schools.
Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/mien-hoc-phi-giao-duc-quoc-phong-and-an-ninh-quyet-sach-dung-dan-post761613.html
Comment (0)