'Ho Chi Minh City has too short a Tet holiday break'

"Students in Ho Chi Minh City have too little Tet holiday," is a familiar saying among many students, teachers, and parents in Ho Chi Minh City recently. This year, students in the city only get 9 days off for Tet, instead of 16 days like last year.

"The Lunar New Year holiday is too short, I don't dare go back to my hometown."

With less than two months until the 2025 Lunar New Year, students in Ho Chi Minh City are eagerly anticipating the holiday despite the chilly weather. However, according to the announced holiday schedule, students in Ho Chi Minh City will have only 9 days off this year, from the 26th day of the 12th lunar month to the 5th day of the 1st lunar month. This has left many students, parents, and teachers feeling disappointed because it's "too short."

Students in Ho Chi Minh City participate in a festival to learn about traditional Vietnamese New Year celebrations.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

Nguyen Thao, a 9th-grade student from Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City, said she wishes students in Ho Chi Minh City had a longer Tet holiday, at least 15 days like last year. Thao's reason is that Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in the country, with a very high proportion of migrant workers. At the end of the year, there is a lot of pressure on trains, buses, and airplanes, as everyone is eager to return to their hometowns to reunite with their grandparents, parents, and relatives after a year of separation.

Students also look forward to returning to their hometowns with their parents and grandparents, to rest after months of stressful studying. "But this year the Tet holiday is too short, so my family probably won't go back home. Because train, bus, and plane tickets are expensive, and we only get to go home for a few days, we won't have time to enjoy ourselves before we have to worry about returning to the city," this female student shared.

Having made plans with her family a year in advance, Thuy Hien (name changed), a teacher from Hai Duong province working in Go Vap district, Ho Chi Minh City, eagerly awaited the Lunar New Year to reunite with her relatives after many years of celebrating the holiday away from home. However, this year, Ms. Hien and many of her colleagues were disappointed to only have 9 days off for the holiday.

"This year, the Tet holiday for students and teachers in Ho Chi Minh City runs from the 26th of the 12th lunar month to the 5th of the 1st lunar month. These are peak days for Tet flight tickets. I've checked the prices and they're very high; many routes are already fully booked. Not to mention, this year there's no 30th of the 12th lunar month, only the 29th, so Tet feels shorter. I'm also very hesitant about whether I should go back to my hometown or not," the teacher confided.

"I bought a 24 million VND plane ticket just to be able to stay home for 5 days during Tet."

Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year) is always the most special holiday of the year for Vietnamese people. More than just a time for reunion with loved ones and family, Tet Nguyen Dan holds immense value in preserving culture, safeguarding traditional values, and educating children about their country and homeland. Therefore, many believe that no matter how often they return home on ordinary days, nothing compares to the reunion and togetherness during Tet Nguyen Dan.

Many students in Ho Chi Minh City want a longer Tet holiday in 2025.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

Mr. Van Nguyen (name changed), a high school teacher in Ho Chi Minh City, originally from Nam Dinh province , after much consideration, booked his flight home on the 27th of the 12th lunar month despite the high airfare because "for many years, my wife and I haven't been able to go home for Tet (Lunar New Year). We promised our children that they would come home to celebrate Tet with their grandparents, so now we can't not go." With only 9 days of Tet holiday, Mr. Van Nguyen said he will be very rushed during the upcoming break. He returned home on the 27th of Tet and was at the airport early on the 4th to fly back to Ho Chi Minh City. His family of three spent nearly 23 million VND on airfare just to be home for 5 days during Tet.

Comments on Thanh Nien Online show that the vast majority believe the Lunar New Year holiday for students should be extended. Especially in large, modern cities with a high concentration of migrant workers, such as Ho Chi Minh City, students should be given a longer holiday to allow those from out of town to return home to visit their grandparents and relatives, reconnect with family, and learn about their national culture. This would also help stimulate tourism and reduce pressure on train, bus, and plane ticket prices during the days leading up to Tet.

Thanh Nien Online raises the question: In reality, students need to ensure 35 weeks of actual schooling per year. So, is it possible to reduce summer vacation days and increase Tet holiday days without affecting the number of actual school weeks for students? In this survey, 92% of readers expressed a desire to 'reduce summer vacation days and increase Tet holiday days for students'.

The survey began on Thanh Nien Online on November 1, 2024, and was conducted in the context of many provinces and cities announcing the Lunar New Year holiday schedule for students in 2025. Many provinces and cities are giving students a 12-day holiday; students in Ho Chi Minh City will have a 9-day Lunar New Year holiday in 2025 (7 days less than last year).

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hoc-sinh-phu-huynh-giao-vien-than-tphcm-nghi-tet-it-qua-185241201161505834.htm