Multiple parents at My Dinh 2 secondary school in Hanoi, for example, expressed frustration when they were asked to contribute VND40 million for a 100-inch television to be gifted to the school. In addition, they were also asked to pay for classroom repainting and new curtains. The total for these items amounted to nearly VND10 million per class.

One parent in HCMC publicly shared the full fee schedule of a primary school in Ben Thanh ward. The list included several monthly fees: VND150,000 for an advanced learning initiative, VND200,000 for foreign language classes with native speakers, VND550,000 for integrated foreign language-math-science, VND90,000 for digital citizenship education, VND120,000 for digital skills and AI education, VND120,000 for talent and elective sports club, VND80,000 for life skills training, and VND90,000 for STEM education.

In addition, there were other projected contributions such as: digital classroom wifi installation (VND9.6 million in total, with each student contributing VND330,000); study encouragement fund (VND7.25 million, VND250,000 per student); graduation ceremony cost (VND30.45 million, VND1.05 million per student); and appreciation events (VND700,000 per student, voluntary).

These detailed lists, once shared online, sparked widespread debate.

Regulations

HCMC has more than 2.6 million students and 3,541 schools from preschool to high school, the largest number in the country. Before the school year opening on September 5, the Department of Education and Training announces nine mandatory monthly fees, with a maximum cap set for two groups: students living in wards and those in communes.

The nine fees include: Day-boarding management and hygiene; Breakfast service; Before and after regular class care; Care on non-school days; Initial health check-up; Electricity and air conditioning (for rented or equipped classrooms); Information technology and digital transformation applications; School bus service; Dormitory fees.

The department emphasized that these are maximum rates. Schools must work with parents to agree on actual amounts based on local conditions and student needs, without exceeding the cap or increasing more than 15 percent compared to the 2024-2025 school year.

Most fees are carried over from the previous year. If a school wants to add a new service, it must conduct a survey and obtain parent consent before implementation. Principals must prepare a detailed budget plan, ensuring costs remain within the framework approved by the city council. Charges must reflect service quality and comply with pricing regulations.

With the goal of expanding two-session-per-day teaching to 100 percent of schools, the HCMC Department of Education and Training also clearly defined what schools can and cannot collect under this model. Fees may be charged for career orientation, experiential learning, STEM/STEAM education, life skills, digital competence, AI, foreign languages, sports, arts and culture, career counseling, and other activities aligned with the city and education sector’s plans.

Clear answers to "What do my children get?" 

In an interview with VietNamNet, Ho Tan Minh, Chief of Office at the HCMC Department of Education and Training, said that in late August, the department issued Document 1888, guiding the collection and use of tuition and other fees for the 2025-2026 school year for public educational institutions. This document specifies the list of permissible fees.

Schools can only collect fees within the scope outlined in Document 1888. For any fees outside this list, the principal is held accountable (for high schools). For preschools, elementary, and secondary schools, the responsibility for review, inspection, and supervision lies with the chair of the People’s Committee of the ward or commune where the school is located.

Minh stressed that when deciding to collect a fee, schools must clearly explain to parents what the fee is for, what students will learn, what the outcomes are, the detailed budget, the number of participating students, and how costs are calculated. 

"Parents need to know the purpose of the fees and what their children gain. If the principal only provides a fee list without explanation, that’s wrong. This also means the principal has not effectively communicated with homeroom teachers, who should explain to parents. Thus, parental backlash, as seen in public discussions, is inevitable. The primary responsibility lies with the principal," Minh said.

For example, some parents may question why the semi-boarding sanitation fee cap is VND300,000, yet one school charges VND200,000, another VND150,000, and another VND120,000. This discrepancy suggests schools have not clearly explained their cost calculations or student numbers, leading to confusion and disagreement. Principals and accountants are not fulfilling their duties properly.

Thuy Nga