In a class of pre-school in Sơn La Province. Photo giaoducthoidai.vn

As the new school year approaches, Lê Cẩm Vân and her husband in Thanh Hóa City of Thanh Hóa Province are anxiously preparing to pay the beginning-of-year school fees for their four children (two in primary school and two at five aged in pre-school class).

Vân said: "Both of us work freelance jobs with unstable incomes, so the start of each school year is very stressful, as we have to cover costs for fees, books, pens, and clothes for the children.

“This year, upon hearing that five-year-old pre-schoolers would be exempt from tuition fees, our whole family was overjoyed.

“For many, this fee might not seem significant, but for our family, every expense is doubled, so this exemption will greatly reduce our pressure," said the mother of four.

The Government Decree No 81/2021/NĐ-CP sets out that children aged five will be exempt from tuition when studying at public pre-schools from September 1, 2024.

The policy of waiving tuition fees has alleviated the financial burden on families and created opportunities for all children to attend school.

For Vy Thị Dịp in Lộc Bình District of northern Lạng Sơn Province, the tuition-free policy for five-year-old pre-schoolers is a commendable, humane initiative in education.

It ensures that children in rural areas and those from difficult backgrounds can attend school with peace of mind, Dịp said.

In mountainous provinces like Lạng Sơn, the tuition fee exemption makes the task of ensuring pre-school education is universal much easier, as schools and teachers can more effectively encourage children to attend.

Vương Hoàng Bình, a parent in Thủ Đức City of HCM City, whose child is entering a pre-school class this year, said: "At the start of the school year, there are many expenses, so our family is struggling. Hearing that from September onwards, five-year-old pre-schoolers will not have to pay tuition, I was very relieved.

“The money saved on tuition fees can now be spent on milk or school supplies for my child," the father said.

Meanwhile, Lò Văn Đạt and his wife, who have been renting a space to run a food stall in Sơn La City in Sơn La Province for five years, said that after covering business and living expenses, they can hardly save any money. They have to carefully balance their budget to pay rent and school fees for their two daughters attending pre-school.

Đạt said: "When I heard that five-year-old pre-schoolers would be exempt from tuition fees, I was overjoyed. This is great news for low-income families. With the reduced tuition costs, the children can have an extra carton of milk or a new shirt."

Phạm Bích Ngọc, the principal of Tà Hộc Pre-school in Sơn La Province’s Mai Sơn District, told giaoducthoidai.vn that Tà Hộc is a particularly disadvantaged commune in the district, where all of the population are ethnic minorities living in difficult conditions.

"We are thrilled to know that from this school year, all five-year-old children in public pre-schools will be exempt from tuition fees," Ngọc said.

"This support will greatly assist us in maintaining student attendance, especially for five-year-old pre-schoolers. This is also a crucial school year, ensuring that children meet the standards set in readiness for grade 1."

Humane policy

A class of self-service skills training activities for children in Bình Minh Kindergarten in Đà Nẵng City. Photo giaoducthoidai.vn

Đặng Thị Cẩm Tú, head of the Pre-school Education Department at Đà Nẵng City’s Department of Education and Training, noted that public pre-schools tend to see a 'drop' in the number of five-year-old students at two key points, the beginning of the school year and after the Lunar New Year.

During these periods, many parents withdraw their children from pre-school to focus on literacy in preparation for grade 1, Tú said.

Most public pre-schools adhere to the regulation against teaching literacy to pre-schoolers. However, some private schools 'break the rules' and teach literacy to the younger pupils. The competition among private pre-schools to teach literacy, combined with the proliferation of literacy prep classes charging fees similar to pre-school, has led parents to enrol their children in these classes for an entire school year before grade 1, Tú explained.

At present, all localities have completed the universalisation of five-year-old pre-school education, but in fact the process is mainly focused on encouraging children to attend school only without certification of completion for pre-school programme, Tú said.

“As a result, a proportion of five-year-olds remain outside the pre-school system, including both public and private schools. Therefore, the policy of waiving tuition fees for five-year-old pre-schoolers will help attract more children to school, ensuring they are well-prepared, both developmentally and psychologically, for grade 1,” she said.

Dr. Bùi Hồng Quân, head of the Pre-Education Department at HCM City’s University of Education, believed that waiving tuition fees for five-year-old pre-schoolers is a humane policy.

“This policy has multiple impacts, first and foremost providing opportunities for children in disadvantaged areas to attend school. Moreover, the policy will reduce the workload for teachers, particularly in pre-schools,” said Quân

"In difficult areas, pre-school teachers not only teach but also have to persuade parents to send their children to school to complete the universalisation of five-year-old pre-school education.

“When the tuition-free policy is implemented, parents will feel more secure about tuition, leading to higher enrolment rates and less pressure on schools to encourage children to attend," he said.

The education expert also hoped that as the tuition-free policy is implemented, the increased number of children attending school will influence teacher training institutions to take steps and make preparations to enhance both the quantity and quality of pre-school teacher training.

Praising the tuition-free policy, Trần La Giang, head of the Education and Training Department in Sơn La City said: "Currently, children in pre-schools in urban areas do not receive tuition exemptions or support, even though many families face financial difficulties and unstable incomes. Therefore, waiving tuition fees for all pre-schoolers is a significant relief for parents and teachers."

Limited revenue

Trần Thị Anh Hoa, head of the Education and Training Department in Mai Sơn District (Sơn La Province), maintains that the tuition-free policy will expand educational opportunities for children in the district and alleviate difficulties for parents, creating favourable conditions for encouraging children to attend school regularly and on time, thereby maintaining student numbers in educational institutions.

In Bắc Trà My District of central Quảng Nam Province, only the pre-school in the town charges tuition, while the other schools offer full exemptions, even providing support for school supplies.

Therefore, the revenue from tuition fees for five-year-old pre-schoolers is not significant compared to the expenditure from the State budget.

Implementing tuition exemptions for five-year-olds will not significantly affect teaching and childcare activities in schools.

Quảng Nam Province is planning to propose tuition exemptions for students in pre-schools and general education institutions starting from the 2024-2025 school year.

Thái Viết Tường, director of the provincial Department of Education and Training, believed that this is a popular measure and proposes that the provincial budget should be calculated to compensate for the tuition fees not collected to ensure the schools' operations.

During a discussion at the 24th session of the Provincial People's Council in July on fee exemptions, Vũ Văn Thẩm, secretary of the Phú Ninh District Party Committee said it was not a significant amount saying: "The fee of VNĐ15,000-20,000 (59-70 US cent) per month does not significantly contribute to the State budget."

Similarly, Trần Thị Bích Thu, head of the Culture and Society Committee of the Provincial People's Council, said: "If this is implemented from the 2024-2025 school year, it would be very welcome and I suggest the Provincial People's Committee consider the budget balance and submit a proposal to the Provincial People's Council to support tuition fees for children." - VNS