Workers worry because the number of students is increasing but the number of schools is decreasing

The classroom is too crowded.

At the beginning of the school year, when sending her child to grade 1 at Thoi Hoa Primary School, Ms. Nguyen Thi Sang (a worker living in Thoi Hoa ward, Ben Cat city) couldn't help but... worry because the classroom was too crowded.

“The class is too crowded, I looked at the list and saw that there were 53 students. The aisle between the desks only had a small gap to squeeze through. The other classes were the same. I don’t know how the teachers will manage to teach the children, with such a crowded class, can the quality of education be guaranteed?” - Ms. Sang wondered.

Many high school students in Ben Cat City have to return to school in Thu Dau Mot City to attend school, which makes parents worried.

As a worker, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Hau (residing in Thoi Hoa ward, Ben Cat city) shared: “I have 2 daughters who both have to travel nearly 10km to Thu Dau Mot. They take each other to school far away, the road is full of container trucks carrying goods, I am very worried, but I have to accept it because in Ben Cat there are only 2 high schools”.

According to the report of the provincial Department of Education and Training, in the 2024-2025 school year, the whole sector has 713 schools (375 public schools, 338 non-public schools). The total number of students at all levels from preschool to high school, continuing education in the whole province is about 520,690 students, an increase of 25,968 students compared to the 2023-2024 school year.

This year, Binh Duong built, upgraded, and renovated 12 more schools, adding 266 classrooms. However, in many areas with a large number of workers such as Thuan An, Di An, Tan Uyen, Ben Cat... there is still a shortage of schools and classrooms.

Boarding school at off-campus facilities

The lack of schools and classes makes it difficult for schools to organize boarding schools for students from outside; parents also have to pay extra for transportation and are worried about unsafe facilities.

Notably, Hoa Loi Primary School, Hoa Loi Ward, Ben Cat City, Binh Duong Province, had to arrange for more than 500 students to stay on the outside.

According to the reporter, every day after the main class at Hoa Loi Primary School, students have to go through a facility 1.2km away from the school and another facility 3km away from the school to study semi-boarding. Although the facilities have been invested in, parents are worried about the safety of their children because there are too many students, while the facilities are not large enough.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Tai - Principal of Hoa Loi Primary School - said that the school held a meeting with parents to explain that the school only has 28 classrooms, while there are 2,091 students. Therefore, it is impossible to study the second session in school, so the second session must be organized outside the school.

“The school has asked parents for their opinions, whether they agree or not, and to explain any difficulties they are having so that the school can support them. Some parents who do not agree will take their students home, not 100% of the students will study outside,” said Mr. Tai.