Paying for TV, projector, curtains in the classroom without receipt, is that correct?

Many parents are upset and say that every year at parent meetings, they see classes calling for 'voluntary' payments to buy TVs, projectors, curtains... but they don't see any receipts or receipts... So is this in accordance with regulations?

Many parents sent comments to the Thanh Nien Newspaper's editorial office, reflecting on the voluntary fees such as buying TVs, projectors, curtains... but they were not clear.

Graduates donated 2 air conditioners and 1 TV to their next class, but new students still buy TVs and air conditioners.

Ms Huong's parent said: "My child is born in 2007, just left high school. I heard him say that the school told the parent representative to donate 2 Retech air conditioners and 1 TV to the next class. And the 12th grade class paid for the fund to buy an LED TV to put in the school yard. Why did they buy another LED TV after only 1 year? They must have disliked last year's TV...".

An anonymous reader reported: "Last year, 2024-2025, when my child first entered grade 10 at the school, he also had to pay a "voluntary" fee of nearly 2 million. There was no receipt or document. At the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, before any classes were held, 300,000 VND/student was collected from the scholarship fund, 155,000 VND/student for camera installation, and 300,000 VND/student for the class fund. May I ask if this collection is in accordance with regulations? This is a "voluntary" payment, which is heartbreaking because we don't know where the money goes (there is no receipt or document)?".

Parents pick up their children after school. At the beginning of the school year, the pressure of tuition fees weighs heavily on parents' shoulders.

ILLUSTRATION: NGOC DUONG

Parent Tam Xoăn wondered: "Another problem is that when parents have contributed enough to buy equipment, will the school continue to ask for funding from the Ministry of Education and Training? Every year, the Ministry allocates a certain amount of funding to each school to buy equipment. I think the government should make public the amount of funding that schools receive each year. There are many unclear things."

Parent Tham Vu Van lamented: "For decades, I have always seen the situation of overcharging, then collecting socialized fees and blaming it on students. Should the government consider that if construction projects are lacking, they should also calculate it so that parents don't have to talk too much? In some places, schools are built without curtains, so they blame the students for their contributions, then buying TVs, computers... which is very tiring. Meanwhile, the government's documents clearly state that students cannot be encouraged to buy school facilities. So are curtains, TVs... considered facilities, why are TVs bought every year? What is it that breaks so quickly? People have used TVs for decades and they still use them well?"

Points parents need to remember about voluntary contributions and sponsorships in schools, to identify illegal collections

Official dispatch 1888 of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City announcing the funding and operating expenses of the Parents' Representative Board emphasized that it must comply with the provisions of Circular No. 16/2018/TT-BGDDT dated August 3, 2018 of the Ministry of Education and Training regulating funding for educational institutions in the national education system; Circular No. 55/2011/TT-BGDDT dated November 22, 2011 of the Ministry of Education and Training promulgating the Charter of the Parents' Representative Board.

In Official Dispatch 2705 of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City issued on September 26, 2025 on additional instructions for implementing the above two circulars, there are important points.

On funding for educational institutions in the national education system:

• Schools are not allowed to authorize parent-teacher associations to organize fundraising campaigns. Fundraising is not used to force parents to contribute and fundraising is not considered a condition for providing educational and training services;
  
• The fundraising plan must be approved by the School Council and Pedagogical Council before fundraising and reported to the direct superior management agency;
  
• The implementation will only be carried out after receiving approval from the Department of Education and Training;
  
• Do not focus on mobilizing parents of students whose children are studying at school , expand the target audience for sponsorship, such as: businesses, corporations, economic organizations at home and abroad; agencies, political-social organizations, non-governmental organizations; individuals, philanthropists with a spirit of volunteerism;
  
• No average funding level specified, no minimum funding level specified;
  
• Financial sponsorships: Educational institutions must approve the sponsorship receipt record with a list of signatures from parents of students whose children are studying at the school at the time of sponsorship receipt, and at the same time create a receipt, open a detailed accounting book to separately track the sponsored amount and record it in the accounting system according to regulations.
  
• The fundraising according to Circular No. 16/2018/TT-BGDDT does not apply to sponsorships, mobilization, receipt, distribution and use of voluntary contributions to support people in overcoming difficulties caused by natural disasters, fires, serious incidents, patients with serious illnesses..., on awarding and receiving scholarships and subsidies for learners in educational institutions in the national education system...
  
• The head of the educational institution is responsible before the law for mobilizing, receiving, managing and using sponsorships.
  

Parents struggle to wait for their children in the rain. Families with school-age children face a lot of pressure.

ILLUSTRATION: NHAT THINH

Regarding fundraising for facilities and equipment:

• The plan for approval must clearly define the purpose of the proposed fundraising;
  
• The campaign content clearly states the campaign objects for each category;
  
• Do not mobilize funding for purchasing items and repair works that educational institutions can budget for, use state capital, career revenue, and career development funds for annual purchasing and repair according to regulations;
  
• Sponsors are encouraged to organize the investment in construction, purchase equipment and complete installation to hand over to educational institutions according to the agreement and instructions of the educational institutions.
  
• Units need to closely review the content of cultural products, books, newspapers, magazines and other documents to ensure that there are no factors that negatively affect students' education;
  
• For donations of material items with long-term use value or special characteristics, the receiving unit must conduct an appraisal, make a record, and report to the Department of Education and Training for consideration and approval before putting them into use, and at the same time be responsible for the suitability, safety, and effectiveness of the donated material items. For projects affecting the property structure of the educational institution, the unit must attach construction drawings.
  

What are the operating expenses of the Parents' Association not used for?

• The Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City directs schools to comply with the regulations in Circular No. 55/2011/TT-BGDDT. It is strictly forbidden to take advantage of the name of the Parents' Representative Board to collect fees other than those specified in Circular No. 55/2011/TT-BGDDT.
  
• The operating budget of the Parents' Association is managed and used by the Parents' Association and only serves the direct activities of the Parents' Association.
  
• Do not use the funds of the Parents' Representative Board for the following purposes: "Protecting school facilities, ensuring school security, supervising students' vehicles, cleaning classrooms, cleaning the school, rewarding school administrators, teachers, and staff, purchasing machinery, equipment, and teaching aids for schools, classes, or for school administrators, teachers, and staff, supporting management work, organizing teaching and educational activities, repairing, upgrading, and constructing new school facilities" (Point b, Clause 4, Article 10 of Circular No. 55/2011/TT-BGDDT).
  

• The principal and head of the unit shall agree with the Head of the School Parents' Representative Board to decide on the plan for using the school's Parents' Representative Board's funds and shall only use them after the entire School Parents' Representative Board has agreed (excluding sponsorship funds).

From the above important points, if you see that fundraising activities in the class, school, or the construction of the Parents' Association budget do not meet the criteria prescribed by the Department of Education and Training, or discover unreasonable "voluntary" collections, parents can identify these as illegal collections, have the right to refuse to participate, and at the same time reflect their opinions to the Parents' Association, the school's board of directors as well as the relevant authorities in accordance with regulations.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dong-tien-mua-tivi-may-chieu-rem-cua-trong-lop-khong-bien-lai-co-dung-quy-dinh-185250928074951395.htm