Principal's unusual declaration when using socialized money caused parents' reaction

The principal used socialized money contributed by parents to install sunshade canvas for classrooms. But later, parents discovered many unusual signs about the price of this sunshade canvas installation.

The project of shading the classrooms (blue) was implemented by the principal of Ly Trach Primary School with socialized money contributed by parents - Photo: QUOC NAM

In recent days, many parents whose children study at Ly Trach Primary School (Ly Trach Commune, Bo Trach, Quang Binh ) have sent petitions to the authorities to request clarification of the unusual signs of the school's principal, when using socialized money contributed by parents to install a sunshade system for classrooms.

These parents are determined not to pay socialized money for the new school year if they do not receive a satisfactory answer about the use of socialized money from the previous school year.

The principal listed the price of the tarpaulin 3 times higher than the price parents surveyed.

According to the petition of the parent group, in the 2023-2024 school year, Ly Trach Primary School mobilized social funds at the rate of 250,000 VND per parent. This amount was approved by the school's parent association and fully paid with a total amount of about 124 million VND (after deducting exemptions).

The school used this money to install a sunshade system for the entire 2 floors of the classroom building and to repair the school's electrical equipment.

The total area of ​​tarpaulin installation for 2 floors is more than ^190m2 .

According to the declaration of Ms. Cao Thi My Thuyet - the school principal - to the parents' association, this project was constructed by Phu Quoc Production and Trading Company Limited (located in Dong Hoi City) with a total cost of more than 122 million VND. The unit price according to the construction contract is 630,000 VND/ ^m2 .

Close-up of the sunshade canvas that Ly Trach Primary School has just installed for classrooms in the 2023-2024 school year - Photo: QUOC NAM

Many parents were surprised by this price, so they surveyed the prices for similar products at many units in the area, and learned that the construction unit price for a similar project was less than one-third of the price declared by the principal.

This group of parents also contacted directly the above-mentioned Phu Quoc Production and Trading Company Limited to send pictures of the tarpaulin system that this company installed at Ly Trach Primary School and asked for a quote for a similar project.

"According to the quotation sent by this company, if the total area is under ^10m2 , the unit price is 200,000 VND/ ^m2 , and if it is over ^10m2 , the unit price is only 180,000 VND/ ^m2 . Thus, the price declared by the principal is 3 times higher than the actual price. This is an unusual sign, so we request that the authorities intervene to clarify," said an indignant parent.

Tuoi Tre Online sent a request for a quote for the type of tarpaulin used at Ly Trach Primary School to Phu Quoc Production and Trading Company Limited, which also quoted a price of 200,000 VND and 220,000 VND per square meter, depending on the size of the steel pipe.

"I have no personal gain"

Responding to Tuoi Tre Online , Ms. Thuyet said that the construction of the tarpaulin installation for this classroom block had detailed documents and a contract. Ms. Thuyet confirmed that she made the tarpaulin system with a unit price of 630,000 VND/ ^m2 .

The structure of the sunshade canvas at Ly Trach Primary School seen from the inside - Photo: QUOC NAM

Ms. Thuyet also said she chose Phu Quoc Production and Trading Company Limited to do the construction because this company had previously done a similar tarpaulin system for the opposite classroom block last school year.

Responding to a reporter's question about whether she surveyed the price before doing it, Ms. Thuyet said: "I just do it based on the fact that I see a good tarpaulin, but I don't know. I don't survey or compare. Market prices vary from place to place. I have my parents' money to use, so I don't care much about whether it's expensive or cheap. What's important is the quality," Ms. Thuyet explained.

Ms. Thuyet affirmed that she has no personal interest in this matter.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tien, acting chairman of the People's Committee of Ly Trach commune, said he had received the parents' feedback. However, Mr. Tien said that because the People's Committee of the commune lacked too many staff, it was not thorough in managing and supervising the school's socialized revenue collection and expenditure activities.

"With the school using socialized money to make sunshades for classrooms, we have not been able to evaluate the quality and price to know whether it is reasonable or not," Mr. Tien said.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hieu-truong-ke-khai-bat-thuong-khi-dung-tien-xa-hoi-hoa-bi-phu-huynh-phan-ung-2024102417153208.htm