The abolition by the Ministry of Education and Training of many administrative procedures related to school transfers, and the promulgation of a new, simpler process, can be seen as a necessary step to reduce pressure on parents and students.
According to new regulations, many old procedures in the fields of primary, secondary, and high school have been abolished; students or parents only need to submit a transfer application to the school where they are transferred through the Public Service Portal, in case of technical problems or objective conditions, they can submit it directly, online, or via post office. The settlement time is also clearly defined: No more than 5 working days if transferred in the same province or city and 8 working days if transferred from another province or city. The dossier includes a transfer application, a summary of training and study results, and a personal education plan for disabled students if any; this procedure is free of charge and effective from May 10, 2026.
The most notable point here is that management thinking is shifting from "asking - giving" to serving. Previously, for many parents, transferring schools meant having to travel many times between old schools, new schools, departments of education, departments of education; having to prepare many types of papers, waiting for confirmation, supplementing dossiers. Each stage arises with one more worry. Families who move houses due to work, divorce, economic difficulties, natural disasters, illnesses or force majeure reasons are more likely to fall into a passive position.
When procedures are simplified, the settlement deadline is made public, and the responsibility for receiving them belongs to the school where they are transferred, parents have more basis to feel secure. At least, they know what they need to pay, where to pay, how long to wait and who approves the results. This clarity seems small but is very important, because in education, a slow procedure can cause a child to miss the learning pace, miss knowledge, or even feel self-conscious when having to stand outside the classroom while friends have stabilized.
Of course, simplifying procedures does not mean loosening management. School transfer still needs to ensure the right subjects, the right conditions, especially for cases of transfer from private schools to public high schools. The regulation clearly states that the Director of the Department of Education and Training will specify on the principle of objectivity, fairness, and transparency. This is a point that needs to be seriously implemented to avoid negative developments, running schools, applying for quotas, or creating a feeling of injustice among students.
If policies want to go into life, the implementation stage at the grassroots level is the deciding factor. Public service portals must be easy to use, stable, and have clear instructions. Schools need to publicize receiving points, support phone numbers, processing procedures and response deadlines. For parents in remote and isolated areas, migrant workers, industrial park workers, and people with less access to technology, schools need to be more flexible, providing support in the form of direct or postal services as prescribed.
A simpler procedure can help parents reduce one job break, reduce one trip, reduce a worry. More importantly, it helps students soon stabilize their classes, friends, teachers and a new rhythm of life. That is the most practical meaning of reform: Not on the text, but appearing in the relief of each family when their children continue to go to school normally, conveniently and fairly.
