Private schools seek solutions to stay afloat.

Many years ago, when the number of students increased rapidly but public schools could not be built fast enough, Dong Nai province implemented an effective solution: calling for the socialization of education. Thanks to the successful socialization of education, the province not only resolved some of the pressure on school facilities but also saved thousands of staff positions and hundreds of billions of dong annually invested in education.

Bui Thi Xuan Primary, Secondary, and High School is seeking solutions to improve service quality in order to retain students. Photo: Cong Nghia

However, as the population stagnated, more public schools were built, and the government implemented a policy of free tuition for public school students, many investors in the education sector began to feel the difficulties, failing to meet their enrollment targets.

The effectiveness of the socialization of education.

Thanks to the promotion of educational socialization since the early 2000s, Dong Nai province now has a large-scale private education system in terms of both facilities and student numbers. Many businesses have invested not only in general education but also in preschool, college, and university levels. In particular, the province has many educational institutions implementing bilingual programs and high schools teaching international curricula, closely adhering to the integration policy in the new context.

Thanks to investment efforts, many educational institutions have now built strong brands, such as: Bui Thi Xuan Primary, Secondary, and High School; Dinh Tien Hoang Primary, Secondary, and High School (Tam Hiep Ward); Tran Dai Nghia Primary, Secondary, and High School (Ho Nai Ward); Asia Bilingual Primary, Secondary, and High School; Lac Hong Bilingual Primary, Secondary, and High School (Tran Bien Ward); and Bien Hoa Primary, Secondary, and High School (Trang Dai Ward). In addition, the IGC Education System (headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City) now has numerous educational institutions, from preschool to college level, operating in various communes and wards throughout the province.

“Our school currently has over 5,000 students. To retain students, we have to carefully consider every tuition increase, while salaries and school operating costs continue to rise. When the government increases teachers' salaries and waives tuition fees for public school students, we become even more worried, because students and teachers might leave private schools for public ones.”

Principal of Tran Dai Nghia Primary, Secondary and High School (Ho Nai Ward) LE XUAN THO

After the merger of the former Dong Nai and Binh Phuoc provinces, Dong Nai province now has nearly 200 private preschools and primary and secondary schools, mostly those from the former Dong Nai province. Prior to the merger, over 20% of students in the former Dong Nai province attended private schools, significantly higher than the national average of 6.8%. Thanks to this relatively high proportion of private educational institutions, the province saves a considerable number of teaching and staff positions and significantly reduces recurrent expenditures in the education sector each year.

A retired education official, who was closely associated with the period of the province's strongest socialized education development, shared: "In the 1990s and early 2000s, when Dong Nai province, along with the rest of the country, deeply integrated with the international community, the population of Dong Nai increased very rapidly, leading to a demand for school development, while the province could not invest fast enough. The province adopted a very decisive policy of focusing on attracting socialized education to reduce the pressure on investment from the budget."

The provincial leadership has carefully considered a multifaceted approach to the socialization of education. If the province invests in schools using its budget, it will require land, construction costs, teacher and staff positions, and annual operating expenses. However, if the province promotes socialization, these issues will no longer be a concern; in fact, the budget will even receive additional annual revenue from taxes levied on private educational institutions.

Investors are entering a difficult period.

After years of strong growth, private educational institutions have recently begun to feel the difficulties in attracting students, especially those that are relatively new and lack a distinct approach. The owner of a large private educational institution in Tam Hiep ward stated: "In previous years, attracting students was quite easy, so the enrollment period usually ended quite early. However, in the last few years, enrollment has become more difficult, and we often fail to meet our targets."

The principal of a private high school in Tam Hiep ward stated: The reason private schools are facing more difficulties in enrollment is the slowdown in population growth, while public schools are being built in increasing numbers. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, many parents have had to readjust their children's education costs. In addition, the government's policy of waiving or reducing tuition fees for students in public schools has led many parents to choose public schools to benefit from this policy.

Mr. Dinh Ngoc Tu, General Director of Dinh Thuan Joint Stock Company (located in Tam Hiep ward), the investor of a system of private educational facilities at all levels from preschool and primary to vocational secondary education in the province, said: The company had a project to build a primary school in Trang Bom district (now Trang Bom commune) 10 years ago and paid 38 billion VND to the state budget to receive the land allocation. However, due to changes in land policy, instead of being allocated land, investors have to bid for it. If it is put up for bidding, the land price is very high, which investors cannot afford. Therefore, the company wants to get back the money it paid to the state budget.

Meanwhile, principals of many private schools in Tran Bien and Tam Hiep wards said that in previous years, enrollment was very smooth due to high demand, requiring schools to conduct entrance exams or review applications. However, in the last three years, the situation has become more difficult. Even now, many private schools, including those with strong reputations, are announcing supplementary enrollment with preferential policies, hoping to attract more transfer students at the beginning of the upcoming second semester.

The principal of Bui Thi Xuan Primary, Secondary, and High School, Pham Thi Ngoc Ly (in Tam Hiep ward), said: "When enrollment is difficult, the school has to consider very carefully, for example, increasing tuition fees annually to maintain stable student numbers. The school must improve the quality of teaching and learning, the quality of school lunches, and the quality of students' nap rooms."

The principal of Bé Ngoan Giang Thị Chuốt private kindergarten (in Trảng Dài ward) said: “Parents choosing private schools for their children often carefully consider the quality of services and tuition fees. Therefore, the school must improve the quality of services to retain parents.”

Cong Nghia

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202512/truong-tu-tim-giai-phap-de-dung-vung-dff2323/