The decision to exempt all tuition fees for students from kindergarten to high school has garnered widespread approval from the public, educators, and local officials. This policy is widely seen as a significant step towards increasing educational access for disadvantaged children. It's expected to alleviate financial burdens on low-income families and ethnic minority communities with school-aged children.
Parents’ financial burden is reduced
Vo Van Huynh, a resident of Quach Pham Bac Commune in Ca Mau Province’s Dam Doi District expressed excitement over the Government's policy to waive tuition fees for students from kindergarten through public high school. Huynh whose family has no land for production and relies on trapping shrimp and fish in the river, said his household and others in the area were so happy to hear the news.
Following the Ca Mau Provincial Party Committee's Directive No. 17-CT/TU in early 2024, which banned destructive fishing practices, this family transitioned to selling sandals at the market. However, their income has become unstable, leading to increased financial hardship.
Vo Van Huynh said that the family of four has two school-aged children and some times, he and his wife’s income just make both ends meet. Many times, when tuition was due and they had no choice but to borrow from relatives and neighbors. He added that next school year, with tuition fees waived, a huge burden will be lifted from the family.
The joy of Huynh is shared by millions of parents across Vietnam's Mekong Delta, Central Highlands, and Northern mountainous regions - parents facing challenging circumstances, yet overjoyed that their children can continue pursuit of schooling.
Resident Mai Thi Ha in the mountainous district of A Luoi of Hue City revealed that she and her husband used to think about letting their children drop out of schools as the farmer couple have 4 children - three of whom are of high school and middle school age, and their lead a difficult life.
Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, the State will exempt all tuition fees for students from kindergarten through public high school, a move welcomed by parents, teachers, and students alike.
Eighth grader Tran Cong Dung in the Mekong Delta Province of Kien Giang’s Go Quao District shared: “My family is poor, and my parents passed away early, so I live with my grandmother. Besides studying, I sell lottery tickets to earn extra money for tuition. Next school year, with the tuition waiver, I will have more time to focus on my studies”.
Similarly, teacher Pham Thi Van at Hoa Khuong Primary School in Hoa Vang District of the Central City of Da Nang noted that throughout her years of teaching, she has seen many students struggle financially, with some unable to continue their education due to a lack of funds.
New policy contributes to significant reduction in dropout rate
The rate of workers in the Mekong Delta region who have received training and have certificates is about 15 percent, much lower than the national average of 24.5 percent. This is a major bottleneck for the development of the region.
High dropout rates among students, particularly at the junior high and high school levels, have emerged as a key concern in mountainous regions.
With over 40 years of teaching experience, Literature teacher Cao Xuan Luong at Hoang Dieu High School in Soc Trang Province emphasized that waiving tuition fees for students at all levels in public schools is a crucial and well-founded decision in education, carrying deep humanitarian significance. In particular, for provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta, this policy will encourage students to attend school and help reduce the rate of early dropouts.
Head Le Xuan Hung of the Education and Training Department in Ngoc Hien District stated that the southernmost region continues to face significant socioeconomic challenges, with student dropout rates remaining an issue. As such, the policy of providing tuition-free education from preschool through high school in public schools is a highly practical measure.
He believed that when this policy is implemented, the rate of children in difficult circumstances dropping out of school in the area will certainly decrease significantly in the coming time.
Head Nguyen Dinh Thuc of Pleiku City's Department of Education and Training, estimates that approximately 40,000 students of all grades in the city will benefit from the tuition exemption policy. This initiative will significantly reduce financial burdens on parents, allowing them to better support their children's needs. For students in remote areas facing challenging learning conditions, the tuition exemption policy holds even greater significance.
Chairman Tran Van Lau of the Soc Trang Provincial People's Committee praised the policy of exempting all tuition fees as very humane, timely, and impactful for society. He disclosed that over 30 percent of the population in Soc Trang is from ethnic minority groups, this tuition exemption policy will help expand educational opportunities for children facing difficult circumstances, particularly those living in remote areas.
In addition, the tuition exemption will help reduce the dropout rate, increase the rate of mobilizing children to attend school, and move towards completing the goals of universal education and eliminating illiteracy for the people. In addition, the demand for high-quality human resources in Soc Trang Province in particular, and localities in the Mekong Delta in general, in the coming time is forecasted to be very large. Therefore, the tuition exemption policy will contribute to solving the problem of local human resources and high-quality human resources in the region in the future.
