Prioritizing the retention of schools with favorable conditions
The guidance of the Ministry of Education and Training clearly states that schools and school locations must only be merged within the scope of a commune-level administrative unit; priority should be given to retaining schools with favorable conditions (facilities, transportation, concentrated population); dissolving small-scale schools that do not meet the minimum standards for facilities. Education institutions subject to the merger must be fully prepared with facilities at the main school.
Ensure that each commune-level administrative unit has at least one kindergarten, one primary school and one secondary school. In special cases, high schools can have many levels of education, but separate areas must be arranged for each level of education, ensuring teaching conditions.
Prioritize high school models with many levels of education ( basically primary and secondary schools) in sparsely populated areas or places with difficult travel conditions; consider merging kindergartens and primary schools with small scale, below the standards in the same commune-level area according to a suitable roadmap.
For continuing education institutions, arrange and merge continuing education centers and vocational education centers - continuing education centers into inter-ward and commune continuing education centers according to the functions, tasks and organizational structure of the continuing education center; merge continuing education centers with inter-ward and commune vocational education centers in the same commune-level area.
Arrange and merge community learning centers according to commune-level areas; ensure that each commune-level administrative unit has a commune-level community learning center.
Ensuring no reduction in learners' access to education
To prepare implementation conditions, the Ministry requires prioritizing budget allocation to renovate and upgrade facilities and teaching equipment at key schools before organizing the reception of children, students and trainees from small schools; at the same time, developing a clear implementation roadmap for each short-term, medium-term and long-term period.
Taking advantage of the surplus housing and land fund after the arrangement of administrative units to serve education; focus on renovating, repairing, upgrading or constructing additional works, fully meeting regulations on scale, location, area and in line with the long-term development orientation of educational institutions.
Arrange and reasonably arrange the team of managers, teachers, and staff for preschools, general education, and continuing education institutions according to the job position plan; ensure a balance between levels of education and the type of educational institution.
The principle of implementing the arrangement must ensure that it does not affect the quality and efficiency of public service provision; comply with current regulations on school scale, classes, basic standards, teacher quotas; associated with planning, population size, population density and geographical conditions.
The arrangement must ensure that it does not reduce the access to education for children, students, and trainees; do not carry out the merger if the geographical distance between the place of residence and the school is too long or traffic conditions are not suitable; meet the requirements for the promotion of education and compulsory education.
The Ministry of Education and Training also requires not merging kindergartens with general schools; not merging continuing education institutions with general schools; ensuring the principles of democracy, publicity and transparency in the implementation process.
