Ho Chi Minh City: Will support tuition for life skills, foreign languages, swimming... for disadvantaged students

On October 31, the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City deployed and collected opinions from the People's Committees of 168 wards, communes, special zones and nearly 3,500 schools on the development of a draft resolution regulating a number of specific policies to support preschool children, general education students, and continuing education students belonging to vulnerable groups from the 2025-2026 school year, after merging with the former Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces.

Ho Chi Minh City builds policies to support students

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

Proposal to support service revenues, school programs...

In the context that the city is implementing the "Sustainable Development Strategy, building a learning society and developing high-quality human resources", the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City has drafted a proposal for the City People's Committee to submit to the City People's Council to issue a policy to support preschool children, high school students, and continuing education students who are vulnerable groups (belonging to poor households, near-poor households, orphans, disabled, handicapped, beneficiaries of social assistance according to regulations in Clause 1, Clause 2, Article 5 of Decree 20/2021/ND-CP).

Specifically, for service revenues to serve and support educational activities as stipulated in Resolution No. 18/2025/NQ-HDND, it is proposed that the City support the costs of organizing, serving, managing and cleaning boarding schools. Supporting the above costs helps reduce the financial burden, to ensure that children and students in disadvantaged circumstances in the area have the opportunity to be cared for, nurtured and study in a safe and stable environment.

For revenues from organizing school programs outside of regular school hours, it is proposed that the City support money for organizing foreign language classes with foreigners; money for organizing life skills classes; and money for organizing swimming lessons.

Providing financial support for life skills training for children and students in disadvantaged circumstances ensures fairness in education and comprehensive development for students, promotes social security to help all students have the opportunity to learn essential life skills. In line with the State's policy in Resolution No. 29 of the Party Central Committee on education not only imparting knowledge but also developing qualities, abilities, and personality for learners.

At the same time, the Department also proposed that supporting money to organize swimming lessons for students in disadvantaged circumstances is not only a humane policy but also a strategic investment in the safety, health and comprehensive development of the young generation.

Propose to continue implementing the policy of supporting lunch money for preschool children residing in Thanh An commune who are studying at public preschools in Thanh An commune; supporting ferry money and lunch money for students residing in Thieng Lieng hamlet, Thanh An commune who are studying at public general education institutions including primary, secondary and high schools (not including general education institutions in Thieng Lieng hamlet, Thanh An commune).

After the merger, Ho Chi Minh City built many policies to support students and teachers.

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

Estimated budget from 282 to 563 billion VND/school year to support students

In the draft, the Department of Education and Training proposed necessary policies to be issued soon and applied in the 2025-2026 school year to be applied uniformly throughout the city without affecting the study and life of students and learners. At the same time, balancing the financial resources of the unit is also difficult when the state budget does not guarantee these services and reduce the burden of early school year fees on children and students belonging to disadvantaged groups.

The funding source for implementing the policy when issued is guaranteed by the city budget according to the provisions of the State Budget Law and current regulations with a total budget of 282 to 563 billion VND/school year. The content of the policies is as follows:

Policy 1: Support for preschool children and general education students, students studying at regular education institutions according to the general education program who are: orphans of both parents; disabled people, have a father or mother or both parents or grandparents (in case of living with grandparents) who are poor households according to regulations of the Prime Minister ; have a father or mother or both parents or grandparents (in case of living with grandparents) who are near-poor households according to regulations of the Prime Minister; are beneficiaries of social allowances according to regulations in Clause 1, Clause 2, Article 5 of Decree 20/2021/ND-CP specifically as follows:

• Option 1: Support 100% of the cost of organizing the following contents according to the actual revenue at educational institutions: Services for organizing, serving, managing and cleaning boarding schools; costs for organizing foreign language classes with foreigners; costs for organizing life skills training; costs for organizing swimming lessons.
• Option 2: Support 50% of the cost of organizing the following contents according to the actual revenue at educational institutions: Services for organizing, serving, managing and cleaning boarding schools; costs for organizing foreign language classes with foreigners; costs for organizing life skills training; costs for organizing swimming lessons.

Policy 2 : Support lunch money for preschool children residing in Thanh An island commune who are studying at public preschools in Thanh An island commune with a support level of 160,000 VND/month.

Policy 3 : Support lunch and ferry fees for students residing in Thieng Lieng hamlet, Thanh An commune who are studying at public general education institutions including primary schools, middle schools, and high schools in the city (not including general education institutions in Thieng Lieng hamlet, Thanh An commune) with ferry fee support level: 440,000 VND/student/month; lunch fee: 550,000 VND/student/month.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tphcm-se-ho-tro-tien-hoc-ky-nang-song-ngoai-ngu-boi-cho-hoc-sinh-yeu-the-185251030233058727.htm