The school does not collect fees from parents.

Contributions that are called “voluntary” but are actually mandatory; calls for purchases, rewards, and special care for teachers… invisibly cover the image of the school – a place that should be a place to sow knowledge and nurture character.

Fortunately, there are still bright spots. For example, Nguyen Van Luong Secondary School (HCMC) has not collected any parent funds for eight years, nor has it called for sponsorship, but its educational activities are still rich and effective. There is even a surplus budget to increase teachers' income. There, the first day of school for students is filled with joy, without financial worries.

This shows a simple truth: if transparent and used for the right purposes, the State budget can completely ensure the school system. Overcharging, therefore, is not only against the regulations but also an injustice, weighing heavily on the shoulders of millions of families, especially the poor workers - those who have saved every penny to send their children to school.

The regulations are clear. The Ministry and the Department of Education and Training have repeatedly affirmed: all sponsorship must be voluntary, public, and transparent; the parent fund only serves the activities of the Representative Board. But in many places, "voluntary" is turned into coercion, turning the joy of studying into a burden of food and clothing.

Therefore, the “4 no” model of Nguyen Van Luong school - no collection of representative board fees, no sponsorship, no special care for teachers, no procurement - deserves to be replicated. When the principal dares to take responsibility openly and transparently; when parents are no longer forced to contribute, then the school will be truly pure.

Fighting against overcharging is not only about tightening financial management, but also about preserving the culture of integrity in education. The school must be a place to cultivate character, not a place to start giving in to wrongdoing. Because every penny parents send there is soaked in sweat, tears, and faith in teachers and in a fair education system.

It is time for the education sector and the government to strictly handle cases of overcharging, and at the same time encourage and spread the schools that dare to "say no to parent funds". Lessons from Nguyen Van Luong school, or Nguyen Du, Nguyen Huu Tho in Ho Chi Minh City... show that: As long as there is transparency and integrity, teachers can still teach with peace of mind, students can happily go to class, and parents can have less worries.

Education needs to be restored to its original purity. Every illegal charge, no matter how small, can leave a mark on social trust. And fighting illegal charges, in the end, is not just about money – it is about preserving the dignity of teachers, the peace of mind of students, and humanity during each school year.