On January 15, Mr. Pham Van Nam - Director of the Department of Education and Training (GDDT) of Gia Lai province - said that after the reflection of Lao Dong Newspaper, the Department has issued a document directing localities and units under the Department to rectify the situation of overcharging in schools.
According to Mr. Nam, at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, the Department of Education and Training issued an official dispatch guiding the temporary implementation of fees in public educational institutions in the province. The document clearly states: Resolutely do not allow overcharging to occur, and be responsible to higher management agencies if violations occur.
However, through the reflection of Lao Dong Newspaper on the situation of schools mobilizing hundreds of millions of VND to make roofs and clean up, the Parents' Representative Board (BDDPH) being accused of overcharging, the Department of Education and Training requested the People's Committees of communes and wards to direct affiliated educational institutions; units under the Department to seriously rectify the situation of overcharging in schools.
Schools mobilizing sponsorship must strictly comply with Circular No. 16/2018/TT-BGDDT dated August 3, 2018 of the Minister of Education and Training stipulating sponsorship for educational institutions under the national education system.
In particular, it is not allowed to take advantage of the name BDDPH according to Circular No. 55/2011/TT-BGDDT dated November 22, 2011 of the Minister of Education and Training to collect illegal fees: "It is not allowed to collect fees such as: Protection of school facilities, ensuring school security; supervision of students' vehicles participating in traffic; classroom cleaning, school hygiene; rewarding management officials, teachers, school staff; purchasing machinery, equipment, teaching aids for schools, classrooms or for management officials, teachers and school staff; supporting management, teaching organization and educational activities; repairing, upgrading, and building new school buildings".
Mr. Nam said that previously, the Department had guiding documents, but at the grassroots level, implementation was not in accordance with regulations. Currently, the Department has directed to rectify the situation of overcharging in schools to the entire sector.
As Lao Dong Newspaper has reported, in recent days, some parents of students at Nguyen Van Cu Elementary School (Quy Nhon Nam ward) have reflected on the school's 2025-2026 academic year BDDPH mobilizing donations of many amounts contrary to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.
From the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, BDDPH has mobilized parents to donate money to build shelters and clean up, with a total amount according to the plan of 624 million VND, divided equally among 52 classes, equivalent to 12 million VND per class.
To date, BDDPH has collected more than 457 million VND. As of January 10, 2026, BDDPH has spent more than 312 million VND, including roofing fees of more than 159 million VND and sanitation fees in the 3 months of October, November and December 2025 of 153 million VND (51 million VND/month), leaving more than 144 million VND.
In the second semester (from January to May 2026), Mr. Th. continued to propose a plan to spend 255 million VND for cleaning in 5 months (51 million VND/month). Because the remaining amount was not enough to pay, Mr. Th. continued to mobilize parents to donate more than 110 million VND to maintain cleaning activities.
Parents also reflected that the cost of cleaning 9 school toilets at 51 million VND/month is too high. In addition, the selection of the cleaning unit, TH. Ng. Co., Ltd., is considered unobjective, when the director of this company is Ms. Bui Thi Hong C., who is also the principal of a grade 5 class.
Before the parent's reflection, Ms. Mac Hoan To Quyen - Principal of Nguyen Van Cu Elementary School - said that the school is involved in verifying and clarifying the case. In case the mobilized fees are not in accordance with regulations, the school will request BDDPH to return the money to the parent.
