Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training established a team to inspect 'overcharging' at a series of schools.

Check "overcharging" from September 29

According to information from the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, from September 29 to October 31, the inspection team will review the revenue and expenditure work at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year at educational institutions under the People's Committees of wards, communes, special zones, public high schools and public educational institutions under the department.

According to the Department's leaders, the inspection content focuses on the implementation of service fees to serve and support educational activities according to Resolution 18/2025 of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council, Official Dispatch 1888 of the Department of Education and Training on tuition fees and other fees, exemption, reduction, and support of tuition fees and study costs.

In addition, the Department will also consider mobilizing, receiving and using aid, sponsorship and gifts at schools according to Circular 16 of the Ministry of Education and Training and instructions of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.

Ho Chi Minh City students at the school year-end ceremony

Another important content is to check the implementation of operating budget and spending plan of the Parents' Representative Board according to Circular 55; the implementation of the Department of Education and Training's official dispatch on revenue and expenditure management and fundraising work. In particular, the inspection team will monitor the responsibility of the unit's head and strictly handle violations.

In addition to revenue and expenditure issues, the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City also inspects the organization of teaching 2 sessions/day at public schools: curriculum, timetable distribution, use of documents, quality control, public disclosure of results...

After the inspection period, from October 31 to November 10, the delegation will synthesize and report to the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.

Do not use sponsorship to force parents to contribute

Also on this occasion, the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City issued a document providing additional guidance on the implementation of Circular No. 55 regulating the Charter of the Parents' Representative Board and Circular No. 16 regulating the mobilization and use of funding sources for educational institutions of the Ministry of Education and Training.

For schools that mobilize sponsorship according to Circular 16, please note: Do not authorize the Parents' Representative Committee to preside over the organization of fundraising, and do not take advantage of sponsorship to force parents to contribute.

The funding plan must be approved by the School Council and the Pedagogical Council before being mobilized and reported to the direct management agency. The implementation of the funding mobilization will only be carried out when there is an approval letter from the Department of Education and Training.

The Department requires schools not to focus on mobilizing parents of students whose children are studying at the school, but to expand sponsorship mobilization to domestic and foreign businesses, corporations, and economic organizations, and not to specify an average or minimum sponsorship level.

Ho Chi Minh City students during the 10th grade entrance exam. Photo: Pham Nguyen

Financial sponsorships must be approved through a sponsorship receipt with a list of signatures from parents of students whose children are studying at the school, receipts must be made, and a separate detailed accounting book must be opened for tracking.

In addition, the school does not mobilize funding for purchasing items or repair projects that educational institutions can budget for and use state capital.

The unit needs to closely review the content of all types of cultural products, books, newspapers, and magazines. For donations of material that have long-term use value or are of a special nature, the receiving unit must appraise and record the minutes. The operating budget of the Parents' Representative Board must be managed and used by the Parents' Representative Board and only serve the direct activities of this board.