VietNamNet Bridge – Grade-1 students have enrolled for the start of classes in Bien Hoa City in Dong Nai Province, but this year many students will have to take turns, studying in one of three shifts due to classroom shortages.

Students at the Trinh Hoai Duc Primary School in Southern Dong Nai Province. Grade-1 students have enrolled for the start of classes in the province's Bien Hoa City, but this year many students will have to take turns, studying in one of three shifts due to classroom shortages. — Photo baodongnai

Many schools have voiced concern that students forced to study from 10:30am to 2pm will be sleepy and hungry.

Statistics from the Bien Hoa City Department of Education show that grade-1 students in 58 classes have to study during this period. The Trang Dai Primary School led the list with 27 classrooms and the Nguyen Tri Thanh Primary School ended the list with four.

Some primary schools – An Binh, Phan Dinh Phung and Phan Boi Chau – proposed using their meeting halls as classrooms to prevent the noontime shift.

Other schools increased class sizes to up to 60 pupils despite the Ministry of Education and Training's regulation class size of no more than 35 pupils.

Nguyen Thi Thuong, a resident in Trang Dai Ward, told the Dong Nai newspaper that her daughter was going to enter first grade and she was very worried about noontime classes.

"When people normally take a rest, she must study. I'm afraid she will be hungry and sleepy," said Thuong.

Bui Van Phuong, deputy director of the department, told the Tuoi tre (Youth) newspaper that in recent years, the city saw an annual enrollment increase of 4,000 more primary students due to increases in immigrant workers. Very few additional classrooms were built in the locality.

Funding shortage

Phuong said that the city presently had 10 projects to build and repair primary schools, but they face funding obstacles.

Every year the city spends nearly VND200 billion (US$9.1 million) on building schools. Half of the funds go directly to land clearance compensation.

The department proposed that the Dong Nai People's Committee add more funds and cut back on other ineffective projects to clear up land and funds for schools in desperate areas.

VNS