Parents 'uproar' over stopping boarding school: What difficulties does the school say?

Parents are in an uproar after receiving a notice from the school that boarding school will be discontinued. The school said the reason was because of the sudden change in policy that left them unable to react?

Over 20,300 primary school students to attend boarding school in the 2024-2025 school year

In the 2024-2025 school year, the boarding model at the primary level will be implemented in 29/31 primary schools in the old Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan area (now 7 wards and communes in Lam Dong province). According to incomplete statistics, on average each primary school in the Phan Thiet area has 700 boarding students (29 x 700), so last year there were over 20,300 boarding students.

If boarding schools are stopped, the lives of thousands of parents will be disrupted. If they have to pick up their children at noon (only at 10:30 for first graders) and then take them to school at 1:30 in the afternoon, they will be passive in their work. Therefore, it is understandable that parents in the Phan Thiet area were "uproared" when they heard that schools were stopping boarding schools.

Boarding class at an elementary school in the old Phan Thiet area, now in Lam Dong province

PHOTO: QH

The reason why schools "say no" to boarding schools

A principal of a primary school in the Phan Thiet area (who asked not to be named) said that, in response to the request of the Lam Dong Department of Education and Training in urgent dispatch No. 657 dated September 1, the school had a specific report to the People's Committee of the commune and ward as a basis for reporting to the Department of Education and Training of Lam Dong province. Accordingly, for many years, the boarding model for primary school students has been implemented synchronously and effectively by the People's Committee of Phan Thiet City (formerly Binh Thuan), with the consensus of parents. However, right in the days of preparation for the new school year 2025-2026, all boarding primary schools in the Phan Thiet area are facing common difficulties.

On August 28, 2025, Lam Dong Provincial People's Council issued Resolution No. 21 on the application and abolition of a number of resolutions of the People's Councils of Binh Thuan and Dak Nong provinces (old, before the merger). Accordingly, Resolution 21 of the Lam Dong Provincial People's Council (new) selected Resolution No. 385, dated December 10, 2024 of the Lam Dong Provincial People's Council (old) on regulations on revenues, revenue levels, revenue and expenditure management mechanisms for educational support service activities at educational institutions in Lam Dong province (old). This Resolution is applied to the entire Lam Dong province (new) at present. Therefore, the policies on revenue and expenditure, revenue management, and revenue levels in the Phan Thiet area applied in the previous school year are no longer suitable.

Lunch at a primary school in Phu Thuy Ward, old Phan Thiet City, now Phu Thuy Ward, Lam Dong Province

PHOTO: QH

Accordingly, Resolution 385 of the former Lam Dong Provincial People's Council stipulates the maximum fee for boarding student care services (cooking, care, management) is 222,000 VND/student/month.

Meanwhile, from the 2023-2024 school year, the above collection level of primary schools in Phan Thiet area is 330,000 VND (including 280,000 VND for hiring cooks, lunch staff and 50,000 VND for management support). According to primary schools in Phan Thiet area, they have had their budget cut by nearly 33%, while prices are increasing, maintaining boarding as in the previous school year is "impossible".

Phu Tai Primary School, Phu Tai Ward, old Phan Thiet City, now Binh Thuan Ward, Lam Dong Province

PHOTO: QH

Another difficulty, according to representatives of primary schools, is the lack of personnel to take care of children at noon (nannies). According to Resolution 385 of the Lam Dong Provincial People's Council, teachers who stay to take care of their students at noon are paid 90,000 VND. The schools said that teachers "have no need" to stay at noon to take care of students to receive this amount of money. However, hiring nannies (as before), the amount collected for a class is only 2.7 million VND, not enough to pay for hiring a nanny (currently schools are paying 4.5 million VND/nanny, including the noon fee). This is the main reason why schools announced the temporary suspension of boarding school.

In addition, what makes schools confused and passive is the bidding process for meals provided to boarding schools. According to the new regulations, the provision of meals to schools must be bid. While the school has not been trained in bidding, the principal (account holder) does not have a bidding certificate, leading to confusion and inability to implement.

Based on this reality, some principals of primary schools in Phan Thiet area have reported and recommended that the competent authority allow the application of the same collection level and price as the previous school year to ensure that the boarding education of 29 primary schools is not interrupted, causing difficulties for parents.

According to the urgent dispatch of the Department of Education and Training of Lam Dong on September 1, today September 3, all 124 communes, wards and special zones of Lam Dong province must report on the current situation of boarding schools in the area. If boarding schools are stopped, they must state the reason and any recommendations so that the Department of Education and Training has a basis to report to the Provincial People's Committee. Previously, responding to Thanh Nien reporter, Vice Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Minh said that the Provincial People's Committee has no policy to stop boarding schools, assigning the Department of Education and Training to grasp information, inspect and have a specific report to the Provincial People's Committee.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vu-phu-huynh-day-song-vi-dung-hoc-ban-tru-nha-truong-noi-kho-khan-gi-185250903104904906.htm