The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training issued a document on November 6, urging schools to review their official names and complete renaming procedures if terms such as international, national, or Vietnam could mislead the public about their legal status, operational scope or state affiliation.
Accordingly, the document was sent to people's committees of wards, communes, and special zone, heads of subordinate units, as well as organizations and individuals operating in the field of education, detailing the implementation of the Government's Decree No. 360/2026/ND-CP. It particularly highlighted the review of educational institution names, procedures for private educational institutions, and management authority over educational activities.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, regarding the naming of educational institutions, Clause 7, Article 47 of Decree No. 360/2026/ND-CP applies to schools established or permitted to be established before the decree took effect on September 17, 2026.
Schools with names containing words or phrases indicating "national" status or showing special prestige, such as international, national, or Vietnam names of other countries, and phrases with similar meanings, must undergo name change procedures if their usage could cause misunderstandings about legal status, operational scope, or state sponsorship.
The document states that the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training requires schools to review their official names. Institutions falling into the aforementioned categories must complete the name-change procedures in accordance with Article 5 of the decree by September 17, 2027.
In addition, specialized agencies advising state management in education at all levels must compile a list of schools subject to review and issue formal written guidance to these units. Schools are required to report their proposed handling plans, including retaining their current name or initiating name-change procedures, along with detailed justifications.
The department also noted that regarding the establishment of economic organizations for private educational institutions permitted to form upon the proposal of two or more investors prior to January 1, 2026, relevant facilities must apply to establish an economic organization under investment and enterprise laws before January 1, 2027.
Additionally, the institution must notify the competent authority in writing within 14 working days of completing the required procedures. Once established, the economic organization will assume the role of investor in the private educational institution, inheriting all rights and obligations of the previous investors.
This organization is responsible for ensuring that the educational institution continues to fully and continuously fulfill its rights and obligations toward learners, teachers, managers, employees, and related entities.
Regarding administrative procedures for public funded private facilities and private educational institutions, the department instructed organizations and individuals to submit one set of regulatory dossiers via the National Public Service Portal, VNeID, postal services, or directly at the Ho Chi Minh City Public Administrative Service Center or service centers across 168 wards, communes, and special zone.
The document also outlined the specific authority of the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the Director of the Department of Education and Training, and chairpersons of ward, commune, and special administrative zone people's committees concerning the establishment, licensing, suspension, merger, division, dissolution, name changes, and location updates for various types of educational institutions. '
Specifically, the Chairman of the City People's Committee decides on the establishment or approval of establishment, revocation of decisions, mergers, divisions, dissolutions, name changes, and operational location updates for high schools, multi-level schools with high school as the highest level, specialized high schools, arts and sports gift schools, other specialized schools, schools for persons with disabilities, and preschools, primary, lower secondary, and high schools proposed by foreign diplomatic missions or intergovernmental international organizations.
The Director of the Department of Education and Training decides on the establishment or approval of establishment, suspension of operations, mergers, divisions, dissolutions, educational licensing, suspension of admissions, suspension of educational activities, and revocation of licensing decisions for institutions under decentralized management.
Chairpersons of people's committees in wards, communes, and special zone are responsible for approving the establishment of preschools, primary schools, lower secondary schools and multi-level schools with lower secondary as the highest grade. Their responsibilities also include issuing licenses, suspending admissions or operations, revoking establishment approvals or operating licenses, overseeing mergers, divisions and dissolutions, and approving name changes and relocation requests.
