The need for childcare is increasing rapidly.
The seminar is one of the activities to implement the Project "Supporting workers in industrial parks and export processing zones in child care and education for the period 2023 - 2028" of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor. This project was surveyed by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor in 5 provinces and cities: Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, Long An, Thai Nguyen (the seminar was held in Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City).
At the seminar, representatives of the Propaganda Department of the Women's Union of the City Labor Federation informed about the employment situation, labor ideology in Hai Phong as well as policies for developing preschool education in areas with industrial parks in the city.
Hai Phong currently has more than 170,000 workers working in industrial clusters and zones, of which female workers account for 70% of the total. Female workers are mainly from other provinces, with an average age of 18 to 35 years old. Workers with young children account for 30-35%, so the need for workers to send their children to preschool is increasing.
The demand for childcare is increasing rapidly, while the planning and investment in developing the public kindergarten network in the area cannot meet the demand, the pick-up and drop-off time is not suitable for work in industrial parks. Meanwhile, private kindergartens have high tuition fees... Therefore, most workers have to choose to send their children to private independent kindergartens and groups in the area or send their children back to their hometowns to be cared for by grandparents and relatives.
Also at the discussion, representatives of many industrial park unions discussed the concerns and worries of female workers today when industrial parks do not have nurseries for their children. Many female workers have to take time off from work after maternity leave to take care of their children.
Proposal to allocate land fund to build kindergartens near industrial parks
According to the Hai Phong City Labor Federation, the city has many policies to exempt tuition fees for students from preschool to high school; support 200,000 VND/child/month for children of workers in industrial parks (with signed labor contracts)...
In addition, 195/347 enterprises in industrial parks in Hai Phong have a policy to support raising children from 50,000-100,000 VND/month for workers, the number of children supported by enterprises is about 22,188 people, with some units supporting until children finish primary school.
However, at the discussion, most opinions said that it is necessary to have kindergartens near industrial parks with flexible working hours so that workers can work with peace of mind and stay with the business for a long time. Some businesses currently want to build kindergartens for workers' children but do not have land. Therefore, the grassroots trade union wants the city to arrange land funds, together with the management unit of industrial parks to invest in building kindergartens as well as other institutions to attract and retain workers from other provinces...
After the discussion, in the afternoon of the same day, the Women's Union of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor will conduct a field survey at 3 enterprises with a large number of female workers in the VSIP industrial park to provide additional opinions and recommendations to complete the project.
