On the morning of June 29, a Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee delegation led by Nguyen Phuoc Loc, Deputy Secretary of the HCMC Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the city, conducted a survey and working session on the conversion of surplus government offices into schools in Tan Phu Ward and Thoi An Ward.
Tan Phu and Thoi An offices transform into schools by 2026
At the Tan Phu Ward Administrative Center, Chairwoman Le Thi Kim Hong of the Tan Phu Ward People's Council said the handover and conversion of the Tan Phu Ward Administrative Center into Thoai Ngoc Hau High School had received strong public support, meeting the educational needs of local residents in a timely manner.
According to the plan, the handover will be carried out in three phases.
Phase 1, to be completed before April 30, 2026, will see the former office building of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and mass organizations in Tan Phu handed over to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training for site surveys, design work, and investment preparations for the school.
Phase 2,which is planned to be completed before June 1, 2026, will involve handing over the current Tan Phu Ward People's Committee office building and facilities occupied by municipal departments and agencies so that the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training and the city's Civil and Industrial Construction Investment Project Management Board can begin renovation and repair work.
Phase 3, which is set to be completed before August 1, 2026, will complete the relocation of agencies and units and the handover of the remaining site. The records archive will be transferred in accordance with the city's archival management project and its document classification and storage schedule.
During a meeting at the Thoi An Ward People's Committee on the same issue, the delegation reviewed the ward's report on the progress of handing over the office building at 1 Le Thi Rieng Street, formerly the headquarters of the ward People's Committee, for conversion into a school.
Nguyen Dinh Bao Quoc, Vice Chairman of the Thoi An Ward People's Committee, said the total site designated for renovation into Le Thi Rieng Primary-Lower Secondary-Upper Secondary School covers 32,383 square meters.
At present, the Thoi An Ward People's Committee has coordinated with relevant departments and agencies to hand over the main administrative building and surrounding grounds adjacent to the roads, covering more than 26,000 square meters, to Le Thi Rieng Primary-Lower Secondary-Upper Secondary School for management and conversion into educational facilities.
"The office building of the Thoi An Ward Project Management Board and its dedicated warehouse, with a total area of 5,500 square meters, is proposed to remain in use until a new office building is constructed. This area will not affect the renovation work or the operation of Le Thi Rieng Primary-Lower Secondary-Upper Secondary School during the new academic year," the Vice Chairman of the Thoi An Ward People's Committee said.
Chairman asks to ensure absolute school safety
After hearing reports from the local authorities, Chairman Nguyen Phuoc Loc stressed that when surplus government offices are converted into schools, the foremost requirement is to ensure that the facilities fully meet educational functions and provide absolute safety for students. The conversion must also support appropriate school zoning and student allocation so that every child has access to education. Renovation and repair work should be carried out with a long-term vision, including the provision of shared facilities for the education sector and community activities.
He added that renovations must create a clean, friendly school environment with trees, green spaces, school health facilities, and adequate measures to ensure public order and social safety.
During the renovation process, all design elements unsuitable for school use must be reviewed and adjusted to ensure absolute student safety. Corridors, staircases, restrooms, and playgrounds should be upgraded to meet actual school operational requirements. Rooms should be arranged according to their intended functions. Natural sunlight should be maximized in corridor areas to promote student health. More trees and green spaces should be added, while vacant garden areas should be used for vegetable gardens and medicinal plant gardens to support practical, hands-on learning activities and improve integrated education.
He requested that the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, the city's Civil and Industrial Construction Investment Project Management Board, and local authorities urgently finalize renovation plans and complete the office handover according to the schedule before August 1. The process must comply fully with legal requirements and be synchronized with construction and renovation activities, including administrative procedures, fire prevention and fighting requirements, localized planning adjustments, and the handover schedule.
He also emphasized that construction work should be carried out alongside the relocation process to ensure that no government office is left vacant and that security and public order are maintained at school sites. Construction should ensure consistency and connectivity in design, landscaping, and transport access. Priority should be given to renovation and repairs before new construction so that the facilities can be put into use for the new academic year.
On the occasion, Chairman Nguyen Phuoc Loc also requested the Department of Education and Training, the Department of Construction, and the Department of Agriculture and Environment to review surplus government offices across the city and continue proposing their conversion into schools, with priority given to allocating land for education, particularly for preschool education.
