VietNamNet Bridge - Hanoi has 13 high-quality state-owned schools, all of which began in a pilot program in 2014. The city plans to have 20 more high-quality state-owned schools at different education levels by 2020.

The Hanoi People’s Council has approved a new resolution on the financial mechanism for high-quality state-owned education establishments.

Under the resolution, the maximum tuition for high-quality state-owned schools, to be applied from the 2016-2017 to 2019-2020 academic year, will be increasing.

High-quality state-owned schools are understood as schools run by the state which satisfy high requirements in facilities and teaching staff to provide high-quality education services.

The ceiling level for preschool and primary school will be VND3.9 million a month in 2016-2017 and VND5.1 million for the 2019-2020 academic year.

As for secondary and high school, the tuition will be VND4.1 million a month in 2016-2017 and VND5.3 million for 2019-2020.

The Hanoi Education and Training Department, which suggested raising the tuition levels, explained that this is a part of the plan to build 20 more high-quality state-owned schools in Hanoi by 2020 that approach the regional and international standards.

Hanoi has 13 high-quality state-owned schools, all of which began in a pilot program in 2014. The city plans to have 20 more high-quality state-owned schools at different education levels by 2020.

According to the department, it is costly to develop normal state-owned schools into high-quality ones. 

Nam Tu Liem Secondary School, for example, needs VND97 billion, while the primary school in Sai Dong Urban Area has to spend VND40 billion on construction and facilities, and Viet Trieu Nursery School VND6.5 billion.

The ceiling tuition levels set by the municipal authorities have surprised many educators. Thanh Nien quoted Van Nhu Cuong, chair of Luong The Vinh High School, a private run one, as saying that the tuition required by high-quality school is 100 times higher than normal school.

Cuong said Luong The Vinh, a private-run school, which does not receive any dong in financial support from the state, collects VND1.5 million a month only from students.

Some educators have expressed doubts about the necessity of high-quality state-owned schools.

Doan Van Dien from the HCMC University of Education said in other countries, high-quality education services are mostly provided by privately-run schools, while state-owned schools have the responsibility of ensuring standard education for all students from different classes in society.

The high-quality state-owned school model initiated by Hanoi’s authorities remains controversial. 

In the past, the municipal authorities’ plan to build 35 high-quality state-owned schools and set the tuition of VND2.9-3 million a month, once faced opposition from some experts, who said the service would be more available for students from rich families, and that taxes would be used to provide public services to the rich.

related news

High-quality schools target excellent, rich students Experimented high-quality schools’ failure raises doubts about the model

Dat Viet