Many parents reflect
From September 2025, students from preschool to the end of public high school are officially exempt from tuition fees. These are humane policies, showing the concern of the Party and the State, aimed at reducing the burden of educational costs for parents with children of school age.
However, in reality, many parents reflect that even though they have been exempted from tuition fees and do not have extra classes at school, the amount of money they have to spend each month is still very large.
This number includes a series of linked teaching programs and services such as: Life skills; Enhanced English...
Many parents reflect that although the programs are announced in a voluntary form, in reality there are still pressures that make it difficult for parents to refuse.
Parents of Viet Hung Primary School, Dong Anh commune, Hanoi reflect that the school organizes for first-grade students to participate in many non-curricular programs such as: enhanced English, life skills, STEM.
Although the above programs are announced to be implemented on a voluntary basis, in reality, if parents do not register their children to participate, they are often mobilized and persuaded, causing psychological hesitation, pressure and creating a feeling of injustice among students.
From the above reality, parents propose to rectify the organization of non-curricular teaching programs for 1st grade students; stop mobilizing and persuading forcing programs that are called voluntary; ensure fairness for all students, focus on the true focus of the general education program, suitable for the age and learning ability of students.
Parents of Van Thai Secondary School, Hoa Xa commune also reflected that on January 10, 2026, the school organized a meeting of the parents' representative board. At the meeting, participating parents agreed to stop linked learning content and this content was recorded in the minutes.
However, at the parents' meeting on January 11, 2026, the school issued a list for parents to register whether or not to let their children take some basic cultural subjects. The school gave the reason that some parents requested the principal to continue organizing extra classes.
On January 12, 2026, the school will continue to convene a meeting of the parents' representative board with the aim of persuading parents to agree to let their children participate in extra classes. On February 3, the school sends the application form to parents with the content of voluntarily allowing children to participate.
Meanwhile, parents of Quan Hoa Primary School, Cau Giay ward said that their child is in 1st grade at this school and reflected some problems in teaching.
According to parents, the grade 1 schedule has a life skills subject with a fee of 120,000 VND/month. Students said that teachers are often absent from class, leaving the class to self-manage; during that time, students mainly practice writing and drawing.
Parents of students at Ha Yen Quyet Secondary School, Cau Giay ward, requested clarification of the school's collection of 400,000 VND/student for books and learning materials for the linked English program, while the market price is about 356,000 VND, not disclosing invoices, and not explaining the difference.
Parents also reflected that the collection notice was issued late, the deadline for payment was impressive, the content was shown as a mandatory fee, and the voluntary nature was not clearly stated.
The school did not publicize the contract with the affiliated unit, and did not clarify the financial mechanism and revenue sharing ratio.
According to a survey by Lao Dong Newspaper reporters on March 26, at some websites such as Fahasa.com, the selling price of this book is 356 thousand VND.
What did the school say?
Informing Lao Dong Newspaper, the Principal of Ha Yen Quyet Secondary School, Cau Giay ward, said that the difference in books collected by the school and on the market is due to the school collecting both books and learning materials (apps).
Answering parents of Viet Hung Primary School, the Department of Culture - Society of Dong Anh commune said that it has appraised the liên kết programs. The Department requests parents of students when registering to participate in liên kết education models at Viet Hung Primary School on the spirit of voluntariness not to be influenced by crowd effects, worries about suppression... and to express the correct views and aspirations of students and parents.
Van Thai Secondary School said that in the minutes of the meeting of the Parents' Representative Board on January 10, 2026, the school did not organize overtime parking, STEM, and life skills services. After that, the school announced that it would not study.
However, according to this school, immediately after the school's announcement, the parents' representative board received many feedbacks from parents: Wishing for their children to participate in overtime childcare services and extracurricular education activities.
Therefore, on January 18, 2026, the Parents' Representative Board held a meeting to summarize the opinions and aspirations of parents of students in the classes and made a record of agreement requesting the school to organize overtime parking services and extracurricular education activities to meet the needs and aspirations of parents. However, currently the school does not organize the services mentioned in Resolution No. 60/NQ-HDND.
The school has reviewed the entire timetable and life skills teaching plan, ensuring that activities are organized outside of official hours in accordance with professional regulations.
