The Prime Minister has assigned agencies to coordinate, study and evaluate the impact of this policy, and the Ministry of Finance should calculate budget-related issues following the general spirit directed by the Government and the Prime Minister, to review and have a plan to adjust tuition fees appropriately, without causing difficulties for residents and students.
Ho Chi Minh City exempted and supported tuition fees for all students with a compensation fund of about 960 billion VND during the 2021-2022 school year. Recently, the City is planning a scheme for a tuition fee exemption and reduction in the 2022-2023 school year, to submit to the Municipal People’s Council for consideration. In the 2021-2022 school year, Hanoi exempted and reduced 50% of tuition fees for students at all levels with a total budget of 900 billion VND.
The People’s Council of the central city of Da Nang has just adopted a Resolution on supporting 100% of tuition fees during the 2022-2023 school year for all students from preschool to high school, both public and non-public. In addition to supporting textbooks valued at nearly 4.7 billion VND for 8,438 students in underprivileged households, orphaned students by COVID-19 and 4,4000 students in near-poverty households, studying at public and non-public high schools and centres for continuing education throughout the 2022-2023 school year.
Da Nang becomes the first locality to introduce a Resolution supporting 100% of tuition fees for all students in the 2022-2023 school year. Previously, in the 2021-2022 school year, Da Nang spent more than 87 billion VND supporting tuition fees for preschool and high school students. This is considered a resident-centric social welfare policy which demonstrates the high determination of the city government while the budget revenue is still facing difficulties after being heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy is gradually recovering.
Agreeing to exempt 100% of tuition fees for students at all levels not only brings assurance for the residents but also removes difficulties for the education and training sector at the beginning of the new school year and helps teachers fully work and dedicate themselves to their careers.
In addition to exempting tuition fees for students at all levels and providing financial support to buy textbooks, Da Nang also improved the meal support policy for people with meritorious services to the revolution, who are being cared for at the Care Centre and the support policy for demobilised soldiers suffering from mental illness within the community. Specifically, increasing the meal support from 1.5 million VND per person per month to 2.1 million VND per person per month.
Vietnam’s economy is gradually recovering thanks to the great efforts of the whole political system, all levels of authorities, the support of the business community and the consensus of the people. It can be seen that prioritising urgent issues in a difficult and tight budget is a stepping stone to stabilise social security. For people, especially families who are extremely poor with difficult economic circumstances, tuition fees and textbook support are very practical encouragement.
Proper and timely attention to the field of education and training by reducing the burden of tuition fees is the first goal to well implement the policy of educating and training people sustainably.
At this time, each locality, depending on economic conditions, can come up with appropriate social security policies, and one of the most practical things is to reduce people’s worries about the cost of education for their children while economic recovery after COVID-19 still has many difficulties, as prices escalate and inflation pressure increases, the working life and income of the people is still inadequate.
