Entering the new school year, Ms. Bui Quynh Trang's family (Binh Dong ward) has to prepare many expenses for their two children who are going to school. The textbooks and homework books of the 6th grade child alone are about 275,000 VND, and the 4th grade child is nearly 600,000 VND. Plus books, school supplies and other items, the cost for each child is more than 1 million VND.
For her child entering 6th grade, her family also has to buy another computer for about 700,000-800,000 VND. Uniforms are also a significant expense, one set costs about 400,000 VND, and gym uniforms from 150,000-200,000 VND.
Up to now, my family has spent more than 10 million VND for my 2 children to prepare for the new school year" - Ms. Trang said.
According to Ms. Trang, with the family's economic conditions, this expense is not too large. However, for families with low incomes and many children going to school, having to prepare many expenses at the same time can create significant pressure.
Not only pre-school shopping expenses, many parents said that after the school year begins, expenses for students' studies and living still arise.
Ms. Nguyen Kim Hang (An Lac ward) whose child is preparing to enter 9th grade said that although tuition fees are exempted, the family still has to prepare funds for books, school supplies, uniforms and other needs. After that, each month may incur an additional 2-3 million VND, depending on the learning needs, semi-boarding and school programs that students participate in.
Tuition fee exemption, health insurance, textbooks... are very practical policies, helping parents reduce a large expense. However, to raise a child to go to school, there are many other expenses. If a family has two or three children going to school together, the total cost is still not small," Ms. Hang shared.
Regarding school fees, the Department of Education and Training is advising the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to issue new regulations on the list of service fees serving and supporting educational activities and the revenue and expenditure management mechanism according to Decree No. 66/2026/ND-CP.
While waiting for new regulations to be issued, the Department requests educational institutions not to organize collection of these service fees.
Previously, in the 2025-2026 school year, public schools in Ho Chi Minh City were allowed to collect 24 fees according to regulations, including 9 fees for services serving and supporting educational activities and 15 fees to organize school programs and services for individual students.
In addition, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training continues to clearly stipulate the activities of the Parents' Representative Board. Accordingly, the Parents' Representative Board is not allowed to collect fees under the school's responsibility; is not allowed to establish class funds, school funds or forms of mandatory funds; is not allowed to stipulate the average contribution level or illegal sponsorship mobilization.
Fundraising, if any, must be carried out on a voluntary, public, transparent basis and in accordance with the law.
In fact, at the beginning of the school year for many years, besides the fees according to regulations, the "parent fund" money is still a fee that puts pressure on many parents. In some classes, this fund is collected in the form of being divided equally among parents to carry out tasks such as installing air conditioners, projectors, purchasing equipment or serving common activities of the class.
For families with many children going to school, paying funds in the form of dividing equally among parents can become a burden, especially when having to pay many expenses at the same time to serve children's studies and living.
