On March 28, the Ministry of Education and Training sent a document to the Departments of Education and Training regarding the enhancement of state management in implementing integrated programs and partnerships with foreign countries among educational institutions.
According to the document, amidst the global trend of internationalizing education, Vietnam has consistently promoted international cooperation in education. International collaboration and foreign investment in the field of education have been implemented for many years, as regulated in the Education Law No. 43/2019/QH14 and detailed in various decrees of the Government.
State management agencies have also created favorable conditions for organizations, individuals, and economic components to participate in foreign cooperation and investment in the field of education and training, resulting in positive outcomes. This has provided learning opportunities for learners and contributed to enhancing the quality of education and training.
However, through inspections, it has been observed that in some localities, there have been instances where the organization and implementation of foreign cooperation and investment in certain educational institutions did not comply with legal regulations, thereby affecting the legitimate rights of learners and posing high risks.
Therefore, the Departments of Education and Training are requested by the Ministry to ensure that the assessment and approval process for the establishment and operation of educational institutions, integrated education programs, and international educational cooperation comply with the legal regulations regarding procedure sequence, infrastructure conditions, teaching staff, curriculum, teaching materials, legal entities, and other related factors.
Moreover, these educational institutions must strictly adhere to the information and reporting regime as well as the transparency implementation regulations for educational institutions under the national education system as regulated by the Ministry of Education and Training.
They also require a review of all educational institutions implementing integrated education programs and international affiliate programs, ensuring their compliance with legal regulations. If there are any cases of violation, there must be timely plan for handling.
In addition, the Departments of Education and Training are suggested to coordinate with relevant agencies to raise awareness among parents of students and learners by organizing propaganda activities. It is advised that parents and learners should research thoroughly when participating in investment capital contributions, as well as when involving in various mechanisms and forms of paying tuition fees and their potential risks.
All these actions of the Ministry come after an incident at the International American School in Nha Be District, HCMC. Prior to this, on March 18, all students had to take a break from school because most teachers did not go to work due to unpaid salaries. On March 20, the number of teachers resigning reached 85 people, resulting in the delay of students' learning. This put parents in a dilemma as they had paid tuition fees worth billions of VND, and it would not be easy for them to transfer their kids to another school in the middle of the second semester.
Responding to this, on the morning of March 28, the Inspectorate of the municipal Department of Education and Training held a meeting with representatives of parents from the school to record their proposed opinions regarding stabilizing the schooling for over 1,200 students studying at the school until the end of the academic year 2023-2024. Particularly, 115 parents collectively submitted a petition to the International American High School and the Department proposing a solution of online learning for the rest of the school year to help students complete the curriculum of this year.
