With options ranging from boarding schools to alternative schools to preschools, the number of private educational facilities have been mushrooming to satisfy parents’ increasing demand and suit each and every child.
Known as one of oldest and prestigious private schools in HCMC, Vietnam Australia International School (VAS) has opened eight facilities in districts 2,3 ,7 , 10, Phu Nhuan, and Go Vap after 15 years of operating in Vietnam. In the academic year 2018-2019, more than 8,500 preschoolers to 12 graders enrolled in the school.
Similarly, Asian School will open one additional school in district 2 in next August bringing the total number of its facilities in HCMC to 13. Pathway private school also has had eight facilities with more than 2,000 students from preschool to junior high school after five years of operation in Vietnam.
Ms. Nguyen Trinh in Thao Dien ward in District 2 couldn’t make up his mind about which school for her daughter who was about to enter the first grade in next September because there are three international schools in the district.
Districts 7 and Go Vap have seen the mushrooming of private educational institutions. Specifically, just in 5-kilometer Phan Van Tri Street in Go Vap District, five private kindergartens have been operating there.
Additionally, non-public schools are becoming options for parents in suburban districts such as Binh Chanh, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi when their income have been improved much.
Different from other previous years when rich parents could apply in private schools at any time in the year, many schools are presently prioritizing children in the school location or organizing tests because too many applications.
Therefore, parents have had to transfer their residency paper to the district where the school of their choice is located before the children enter the first grade.
A representative of the Department of Education and Training said that lately, demand for private schools is up and enrollment in private schools has increased dramatically.
However, just 30 percent – 40 percent of non-public schools are selected by parents.
Lately, it is a good signal of improved teaching and learning quality when more primary and junior schoolers of private schools have taken part in competitions such as English story-telling, Math contest in internet, young IT and won prize.
Educationists said that private schools now take heed of developing soft skills, aesthetic thinking as well as EQ, IQ and cultivating passion for students in the fierce competition amongst private schools to build and affirm their brand name.
Parents can opt between international schools and private bilingual school and private schools depending on their income. Tuition fee fluctuate between VND60-400 million ($2,576 - $17,179) an academic year per student.
