Overcrowded schools, high student numbers

Many educational institutions in Ho Chi Minh City are overloaded with students and classrooms, significantly affecting the quality of teaching and learning.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training (GD-DT) said that the Ministry of Education and Training has set a target of 300 classrooms for every 10,000 school-age people. Up to now, Area 1 (formerly Ho Chi Minh City) has 297 classrooms, Area 3 (formerly Ba Ria - Vung Tau ) has 316 classrooms, while Area 2 (formerly Binh Duong) has only 200 classrooms for every 10,000 school-age people. Many schools have to use temporary classrooms, some have over 100 classrooms.

Many places have to use temporary classrooms.

At Dong An Primary School (Tan Dong Hiep Ward), there are still 4 temporary classrooms for students of the second campus covered with corrugated iron roofs. According to Principal Nguyen Huu Tai, the school has 2 campuses with 17 classes and more than 670 students. The reason the school has to build temporary classrooms is because the campus is located in the road corridor, so it cannot be built solidly.

While waiting for the local government to build a new school, Dong An Primary School still ensures enough space for students in the area. Mr. Tai said that despite many difficulties, most of the students are children of workers, but the school still arranges cool classrooms, ensuring hygiene and health for the students.

Temporary classroom at Dong An Primary School (Tan Dong Hiep ward, Ho Chi Minh City)

Previously, there were comments that many students at Vinh Tan Primary School (Vinh Tan Ward) had to sit and study on old, peeling desks and chairs. Vinh Tan Primary School explained that the temporary use of old desks and chairs and some old classrooms was due to the fact that in the 2025-2026 school year, after the merger of communes and wards, the number of students at the school increased dramatically - 5 more classes, while the school only had 25 classrooms. Due to the high number of students, up to 50 students/class but still lacking classrooms, the school had to temporarily use old desks and chairs and 5 classrooms in 2 old buildings.

Overcrowded classrooms and classrooms lead to pressure on high student numbers, causing many schools to face difficulties. Many parents of Nguyen Hien Primary School (An Khanh Ward) informed that the current number of students per class is more than 50.

"In first grade, students are still small and can fit into the desks and chairs, but in just a few years, if the number of students remains the same, the classrooms will be extremely cramped, with no space for studying or playing, not to mention factors related to health care for children" - Ms. Nhung, a parent of a first grader at Nguyen Hien Primary School, worried.

Can't study 2 sessions/day

Pressure on student numbers also occurs at schools in An Phu ward.

At a recent meeting between the HCM City Department of Education and Training and An Phu Ward, Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thi, Vice Principal of An Phu Primary School, said that the school has 71 classes with 3,367 students, with a class size of 50-52 students, making it difficult to organize two sessions a day. In previous school years, to meet the needs of parents, the school has cooperated with 6 outside boarding facilities to organize boarding and second sessions; homeroom teachers of 71 classes were assigned to teach.

According to local data, An Phu ward has 8 public schools, including 2 kindergartens, 5 primary schools and 1 secondary school, with 23,116 students. Of which, 1 preschool has met national standards; the primary school has 232 classes and 10,625 students, but only 142 classes/6,460 students study 2 sessions/day. Notably, Nguyen Van Troi Secondary School has 103 classes, 4,763 students, but only 54 classrooms - not enough to meet the number of classes, so it can only study 1 session/day.

Tan Khanh Ward has 14 public schools, including 4 kindergartens, 7 primary schools, 3 secondary schools with 276 classes and 11,696 students. Of these, many schools have not yet organized boarding or studied 2 sessions/day.

Many secondary schools still lack classrooms. Even though they have to make full use of all functional rooms, they can only organize one session per day...

How to solve?

School overcrowding has been a constant problem in Ho Chi Minh City for many years due to the rapid population growth while the infrastructure cannot keep up. According to an official from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, after the merger, localities need to clearly demonstrate their coordination role to avoid the situation where some schools are too crowded and others are deserted.

"For example, in the old Thu Duc City, there are two primary schools located in the same area: Truong Van Hai Primary School and Thai Van Lung Primary School. Despite knowing that there are many students, parents still choose Truong Van Hai Primary School, while the other school still has the capacity to accept them. To solve the problem of local surplus and shortage of students in schools, a coordinating role from the locality is needed" - this person commented.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Nhat Hang, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, said that in Region 2, due to the high population growth, with up to 35,000 students each year, school facilities cannot keep up. Many schools in the Binh Duong region did not previously focus on mobilizing educational funding, so they were passive in repairing and purchasing. Meanwhile, Region 1 is very bold in this regard. Schools mobilize funding not only from parents but also from businesses and partners.

The Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City requested the wards of Thuan Giao, An Phu, and Tan Khanh to review the network of schools in the area; prioritize land allocation for education . In addition, it is necessary to propose building schools in the public investment plan for the period 2026-2030 to meet local needs, ensuring the standards of facilities according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Localities need to focus on gradually reducing the number of students per class exceeding the standard; increasing the rate of students studying 2 sessions per day; striving to achieve the target of 300 classrooms per 10,000 school-age population...

Proposal to use surplus headquarters as a school

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhat Hang, localities should proactively review land locations that can be invested in building schools; conduct a comprehensive review of surplus headquarters, ineffectively used land, and land plots used for improper purposes to propose and request the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to allow conversion into schools.

Localities need to coordinate with the Regional Construction Investment Project Management Board and related units to propose priority investment in new construction, repair, and expansion of existing schools. In particular, priority should be given to investing more in primary and secondary schools. These are the levels of education with low socialization rates, no career guidance, and most parents work full-time, so they need to send their children to boarding schools...

Source: https://nld.com.vn/truong-lop-qua-tai-si-so-hoc-sinh-tang-cao-196250925213037642.htm