After reporting on the fees collected at the beginning of the school year at Hai Thuong Primary School, some parents were refunded nearly 2 million VND.
The refunded amount is the overtime fee (VND 1,575,000) and the life skills fee (VND 350,000). This overtime fee is no different from tutoring at school.
Many parents said they were very upset about the unreasonable fees charged by this school, not only this year but also in previous years, but no one dared to speak up. This year, they boldly complained, and the school had to pay back the money.
Parents are also dissatisfied with the activities of the parents' association regarding the collection of money under the name of "socialization". Many families are in difficult circumstances, but have to pay money to the parents' association. Although on the surface it is said that parents do it voluntarily, "not forced" and "not equal", but in reality everyone has to pay. The school's use of that money, even if it is public and transparent, is unacceptable because it is not in accordance with regulations.
Talking about the parents' association that specializes in collecting money, it is similar to the incident that just happened at Phu Cat High School No. 3 (Binh Dinh). The parents' association mobilized to collect money to buy televisions for teaching, but was complained by parents because they considered it to be collecting money outside of the prescribed fees. After receiving instructions from the Director of the Department of Education and Training, Phu Cat High School No. 3 dismantled and returned 7 televisions to the parents' association.
Hai Thuong Primary School (Thanh Hoa) returned the money, Phu Cat High School No. 3 (Binh Dinh) returned the TV. So how many schools in all provinces and cities are overcharging but have not been reported by parents? That is a painful problem that needs to be solved at its root.
To solve the problem at its root, parents must first speak up. If everyone is afraid that their children will be persecuted and stays silent, it is indirectly covering up wrongdoing.
But besides the voice of parents, it is necessary to talk about the responsibility of the local education sector. That is to inspect and supervise regularly and seriously, not to let any school violate the law by charging excessive fees.
While public opinion is rife with overcharging in many localities, Hoa Phu Primary School (Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong) does not collect any money other than 99,000 VND for sanitation for one school year. Parents of this school are very sympathetic because they only spend less than 500 VND per day for their children to use clean toilets.
Why can't many other schools do what Hoa Phu Primary School does and still deliberately overcharge?
