Enhancing transparency and voluntariness in socialized education

GD&TĐ - Reality shows that socializing education is a good policy, but to truly promote effectiveness for students, there needs to be a monitoring mechanism and increased transparency and voluntariness.

Must be for the benefit of students

The issue of revenue and expenditure at the beginning of each school year in schools, especially in big cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, is always a topic that attracts public attention. However, the main thing is to find the root cause of the situation of revenue and expenditure that is not in accordance with regulations and discuss solutions to resolve it so that revenue and expenditure activities and the socialization of education can be put into order, avoiding the situation of "over-collection" in different forms.

Located on the banks of the Red River with about 1,000 students studying, Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Hong - Principal of Chuong Duong Secondary School (Hong Ha Ward, Hanoi ) said that the school strictly followed the instructions on revenue and expenditure at the beginning of the school year of the Department of Education and Training. After that, it thoroughly informed the homeroom teachers of each class, and notified all parents to coordinate implementation.

In each class, the Parents' Representative Committee is established and is responsible for collecting and spending on student activities in the class such as birthdays, festivals, Mid-Autumn Festival, etc. according to the principle of voluntariness. All expenses are recorded clearly, fully and directly serve the interests of the students. Thanks to that, the activities of the Parents' Representative Committee of each class are very smooth and effective.

Emphasizing the transparency factor, Mr. NVH - Principal of a public school in Hanoi said that mobilizing all resources (cash, in kind, labor) from parents and the community must be based on the spirit of voluntariness, not forced, not set an average contribution level, especially giving priority or exemption to policy beneficiaries and disadvantaged students.

“We require the parent committees of each class to plan their spending from the beginning of the year, only spending on students and absolutely not on teachers. Only when approved and authorized by the Principal can the money be collected from students. If we detect signs of incorrect collection or improper use, we will request that the money be returned to the parents,” he affirmed.

Having been in the teaching profession for more than 30 years, Associate Professor Le Thanh Ha - former Principal of Binh Minh Primary School (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) said that the socialization of education is necessary, especially for public schools. All activities must stem from the legitimate interests of students. Second, revenue and expenditure must be transparent but should not be collected equally, with priority given to disadvantaged students.

“In each socialization period, we have to meet many times to unify viewpoints from top to bottom, from inside to outside and thoroughly convey to each student’s parents. Once they understand that all activities are for their children, they will be very in agreement, coordinate to implement well and have close supervision,” said Associate Professor Le Thanh Ha.

A class at Quang Trung Primary School (Tan Thanh, Ca Mau ). Photo: Quach Men

Not an "extension" to do wrong

Mr. Phan The Diep - Principal of Ngo Quyen Secondary School (An Xuyen, Ca Mau) said that in order for the coordination between the school and the Parents' Representative Board to be close, to comply with regulations, and to avoid negative consequences, the school always clearly separates financial responsibilities between the school and the Parents' Representative Board, and at the same time ensures that the revenues are always voluntary, public, and transparent.

The Parents' Association shall only collect contributions for the operation of the Association and shall not collect any contributions related to school expenses. Collection from parents must be voluntary and shall not set an average contribution for each family or require all parents to contribute.

“The school also carries out socialized revenue and expenditure according to regulations and does not assign the Parents' Representative Board to carry out socialization. Throughout the school year, the school will closely monitor the activities of the Parents' Representative Board and promptly make corrections if it detects that revenue and expenditure are not in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training,” Principal Phan The Diep shared.

The leader of the Department of Education and Training of Ca Mau province said that since the beginning of the school year, this unit has issued many documents on strengthening the management and inspection of the collection of fees at the beginning of the school year. In which, all units and schools are required to absolutely not allow teachers and the Parents' Representative Committee to create content that is against the regulations in order to suggest and force parents to contribute to fees outside of the regulations.

“We direct the mobilization of revenues, management and use of funds for the Parents' Association to comply with Article 10 of Circular No. 55/2011 of the Ministry of Education and Training. For aid and sponsorship sources, units and schools must make plans at the beginning of the school year and submit them to competent authorities for consideration and approval in accordance with the provisions of Circular No. 16/2018 of the Ministry of Education and Training,” informed Nguyen Van Nguyen, Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ca Mau.

The Department of Education and Training of Ca Mau also reminded schools not to let the Parents' Representative Committee become an "extension" for violations and negativity; and not to take advantage of socialization to collect illegal fees.

Scene of the first parent meeting of the year at Yen Thuong Primary School (Phu Dong, Hanoi). Photo: Dinh Tue

Innovation in mobilization forms

Recently, at many schools in Ho Chi Minh City, many parent-teacher associations have campaigned to establish class and school funds, and even paid on behalf of the school, which is contrary to the spirit of Circular 55/2011/TT-BGDDT (Circular 55) on the Charter of Parent-teacher Associations.

Therefore, at the beginning of each school year, the leaders of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City affirm: The concept of class fund or school fund does not exist. The Parents' Association can only mobilize support for educational activities on the principle of voluntariness, transparency and non-equalization.

In fact, many schools have proactively not established parent funds, instead using budgets, legal sources or mobilizing social resources in accordance with proper procedures to maintain operations.

At Nguyen Hien Secondary School (Tan Thoi Hiep Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), Principal Dinh Van Trinh said that Circular 55 allows coordination with the Parents' Representative Board to mobilize social resources. However, the Board of Directors decided not to collect operating expenses from the Representative Board to reduce the financial burden on parents.

Mr. Trinh emphasized: “Although the contribution is voluntary, it can still be a pressure for some families. The school will use the budget for main activities and some basic extracurricular activities, and at the same time call on businesses and donors to support important activities. As for parents, we encourage them to support in other forms such as donating books, learning tools or supporting event organization instead of paying cash.”

Since 2018, Nguyen Van Luong Secondary School (Binh Phu Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) has announced that from the beginning of the school year, the school will not collect fees from parents. Principal Dinh Phu Cuong said that although the school does not collect fees from parents or sponsorship funds, educational activities, movements, and skills training for students are still vibrant and diverse. Students can also participate in many programs with experts and artists without any restrictions.

According to Mr. Cuong, all expenditures are balanced from the school's budget and legal sources of income, and are made public in the annual internal spending regulations. Thanks to that, educational activities are still guaranteed, and at the end of the year the school even has a surplus to supplement teachers' income. Mobilizing parents' support should come from available resources.

“At school, many parents are doctors, police officers, lawyers, and even music show organizers. We coordinate with the Parents' Representative Committee to take advantage of each parent's strengths and contribute to organizing diverse activities for students. Parents' contributions do not necessarily have to be money, but can be through each person's intelligence, expertise, relationships, and conditions,” Mr. Dinh Phu Cuong shared.

From an expert perspective, Dr. Bui Hong Quan (Ho Chi Minh City University of Education) said that socializing education is necessary in the context of limited budget. However, all contributions must ensure the principles of voluntariness, publicity, transparency, no coercion and not linked to the learning rights of students.

Mr. Quan frankly stated his opinion: “Parents who have the means can participate in sponsorship with a clear contract, a record of acceptance and public use. On the contrary, if they do not participate, the school absolutely cannot discriminate. Socialization cannot become a burden, and even more so, the Parents' Association cannot be turned into a tool for illegal collection.”

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhat Hang - Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City said that at the beginning of the 2025 - 2026 school year, the Department will organize surprise and regular inspection teams on the revenue and expenditure situation at educational institutions. At the same time, the People's Committees of localities are required to strengthen supervision and take responsibility for explaining the revenue in schools. If the situation of revenue and expenditure in violation of regulations is discovered, the Department will strictly handle the responsibility of the head.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/tang-cuong-minh-bach-tu-nguyen-voi-xa-hoi-hoa-giao-duc-post751425.html