VietNamNet Bridge – About 20 non-state owned high schools in HCM City have fewer than 100 students, according the HCM City Education and Training Department.

Failing to attract students, a lot of non-state owned schools in HCM City have shut down. Others have been struggling to stay alive, and some have been put up for sale.

The Van Lang High School in district 5 only had 88 students in the 2013-2014 academic year, Phan Huy Ich School 16 students, Dai Viet 46 students. Tran Quoc Tuan High School in district 11 had no students

Ham Nghi High School, famous for its modern equipment and good facilities, had 79 students, while Dong Duong High School, which was upgraded from a hotel building, had 92.

Pham Thi Thuy Vinh, headmaster of the Ngo Thoi Nhiem Secondary & High School, said the school plans to have 10 classes of 10th graders, but the number of registered students so far is just enough to fill up eight classes.

Even the schools which enroll students all year round and offer preferences also find it difficult to attract students. The Chu Van An Secondary & High School in Binh Tan district, which began enrolling students in 2012, has found 300 students only for 10th, 11th and 12th grades, though the school is large, covering an area of 7,000 square meters and well equipped.

The headmaster of a private-run high school in Go Vap district admitted that she has to receive small children for preschool education as well, because there are not enough students for secondary education.

“There are still not enough preschools in HCM City, so we have to take any job we can,” she explained. “We need to earn money from preschool education to offset the losses in secondary education, or we will have to dissolved”.

No way out

Though high schools have been trying every possible way to attract more students, they still have not found any solution that can ensure their existence.

In general, going to state-owned high schools is the top priority of most Vietnamese students after they finish secondary schools, as the tuition is much higher at non-public schools. Only those who fail the high school entrance exams would apply for non-state owned schools.

Observers said privately-run schools will have a very difficult academic 2014-2015 year ahead, because the number of students who plan to enroll at state-owned schools accounts for 87 percent of secondary school graduates. This means that non-state owned schools can only find students among the remaining 13 percent of students finishing the 9th grade.

Bui Gia Hieu, headmaster of Nhan Viet High School in Tan Phu district, said he is not optimistic about the enrolment plan this year. It is estimated that 12,000 students will not  enter state-owned high schools. However, the figure is low, as there are 86 non-state owned schools in the city.

NLD