At what level of tuition fee increase will private schools face disciplinary action?

Detailed information on tuition fees for 83 private high schools in Ho Chi Minh City for the 2024-2025 school year has caused concern among many parents, as most schools have increased tuition fees compared to the previous school year. The question arises: Are private schools allowed to increase tuition fees? What is a reasonable increase to avoid reprimands from the regulatory authorities?

Tuition fees are as high as nearly 60 million VND per month.

According to a recent announcement by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, the private high school with the highest tuition fee for the 2024-2025 school year in the city is the North American International School (Primary, Secondary, and High School) with 59.6 million VND/student/month. Following that is the South Australian School (Primary, Secondary, and High School) with a tuition fee of 55.1 million VND/student/month, and Tesla School (Primary, Secondary, and High School) with a tuition fee of 53 million VND/student/month.

Parents inquire about tuition fees and curriculum at Emasi Nam Long Primary, Secondary, and High School (District 7, Ho Chi Minh City).

Schools with tuition fees ranging from 20-30 million VND/student/month include: Horizon International Bilingual School (30 million VND/student/month), Viet-Australian Primary, Secondary and High School (29.4 million VND/student/month), Emasi Van Phuc Primary, Secondary and High School (29.2 million VND/student/month), Hoang Gia Primary, Secondary and High School (24 million VND/student/month), and Sao Viet Secondary and High School (23.6 million VND/student/month).

Previously, in mid-April 2024, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training issued a warning to several private schools for increasing tuition fees and service charges for the 2024-2025 school year in violation of regulations. Specifically, these schools increased tuition fees by more than 10%, or service charges by more than 15% compared to the previous school year.

Tuition fees are collected based on an agreement with parents.

In response to the question of whether private schools are allowed to increase tuition fees, Mr. Tran Khac Huy, Head of the Planning and Finance Department (Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training), stated that private schools are permitted to increase tuition fees and other educational service fees at the beginning of each school year, but the increase must not exceed the maximum limit stipulated by the governing body.

"If any institution increases tuition fees by more than 10% or service fees and educational support fees by more than 15% compared to the previous school year, the Department of Education and Training will remind them and require them to adjust the increase to within the regulations. Every year, all private schools declare their educational service prices, which serves as a basis for the management agency to control the increase each school year," a representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training stated.

However, officials from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training also acknowledged that tuition fees and other educational service charges at private schools are implemented based on agreements with parents. The Department of Education and Training does not have the authority to interfere with the schools' fee levels, but only monitors whether the annual increase exceeds regulations. The review of operating conditions at the beginning of each school year aims to provide a basis for assigning enrollment quotas, and cannot interfere with the schools' tuition fee increase plans.

THU TAM

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