The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has proposed exempting tuition fees for preschool children, public and non-public high school students, and continuing education high school students in the city with an amount of VND338 billion - estimated for the 2025-2026 school year.
Currently, there are 9 localities nationwide that exempt 100% of tuition fees for students from preschool to high school in the 2024-2025 school year, including: Quang Nam, Quang Ninh, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Khanh Hoa, Yen Bai, Lao Cai.
In addition, Long An also reduces tuition fees by 50% for preschool children under 5 years old, exempts secondary school tuition fees at public schools; Vinh Phuc reduces tuition fees by 50% for students at all levels.
The tuition exemption policy that Ho Chi Minh City has just proposed to apply from the 2025-2026 school year, along with other localities that have been implementing it to reduce financial pressure on parents, especially families in difficult circumstances, is very welcome.
This is a humane policy, contributing positively to the development of education, while creating opportunities for all children, especially those from poor families, to access a better learning environment.
However, with the current state of education, although tuition is the main expense, it is not the only factor that makes them feel the financial burden.
But the contributions beyond tuition fees and annual fees are what really give many families a headache every time they start a new school year.
These are voluntary contributions such as English tuition, computer science, soft skills, extracurricular activities fees, etc. Not to mention the "overcharge" fees that are regularly collected by many schools at the beginning of the school year, causing long-term frustration for parents and society.
These amounts, though small, when added together become a significant burden for families, especially when they are not publicly transparent and are not closely monitored by authorities.
Therefore, tuition fee exemptions as proposed by Ho Chi Minh City and implemented by many localities are good and humane. However, what parents and society need most is strong direction from all levels of sectors and localities to minimize contributions outside of regulations.
Educational institutions need to organize revenue and expenditure transparently and reasonably, avoiding fees other than tuition fees becoming a burden for families.
In particular, the education sector needs to take strong measures to deal with overcharging and must comply with legal regulations on tuition collection and other contributions.
By doing so, every family with children going to school will truly have less financial burden and anxiety when entering the new school year. And the new tuition exemption policy will be truly sustainable and have far-reaching significance!
