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VietNamNet Bridge – Local authorities really want to relocate universities into suburban areas of big cities. However, though the plan has been discussed for a long time, it remains only on paper.
There are 69 universities and junior colleges in the inner HCM City, including 19 people founded and private schools, with 516,000 students, accounting for 16.7 percent of the number of schools and students nationwide. The training scale of all schools has been increasing sharply in recent years, but the land fund and physical conditions of material facilities have not been increasing accordingly to meet the requirements.
Currently, more than 40 schools in the inner city with an area of less than two hectares, while other schools are even smaller with an area of less than one hectare.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak
In 2006 HCM City’s authorities decided to reserve a land fund in suburban areas to relocate universities and junior colleges. However, no considerable progress in the relocation process has been made so far. Schools all said that they are facing too many difficulties in implementing the plan. Dr Mai Hong Quy, President of HCM City Law University, said that over the past few years the university has been following necessary steps to relocate the school. However, the implementation is at a stand still because there is no 1/2000 project map.
Ngo Huong, President of the HCM City Banking University, complained that the procedures are too complicated. “Our school has a land plot in Thu Duc district. We have also arranged enough money. However, we still cannot get the permission to build the school,” Huong said. He added that his students still have to go to a for-rent campus which does not have a good psychological environment.
Representatives from other schools complain that they are not allocated “clean land”, i.e the land after the site clearance. Though the schools obtained allocated land plots many years ago, they still cannot move ahead with their construction plans because they have to spend more time on site clearance.
“Schools are not businesses, and they cannot come forward and compensate people for site clearance,” said Nguyen Mong Hung, President of Van Hien University.
Another problem that has caused headaches to schools is arranging money for the school construction. According to Truong Ngoc An, Deputy President of the HCM City Architecture University, said that his school has been allocated 40 hectares of land in District 9. It estimated that the construction of the school will cost five trillion dong. In the latest meeting with the HCM City People’s Committee, the city’s planning and investment plan suggests providing the school with 300 billion dong. However, the sum of money is just equal to 2/3 of the sum of money the school needs to spend for site clearance.
Schools ask for government’s support
Tran Duy Tao, a senior official from the Ministry of Education and Training, stressed that schools will not be able to do anything if they have land but do not have money.
Regarding the relocation of the HCM City Physical Exercise and Sports Educational Institute, the local authorities have allowed an auction of the existing campus in district 5 to raise money to build a new campus in suburb area. However, everything has not been settled over the last three months. “The ministry cannot help if schools ask for money,” he said.
Regarding the construction of concentrated school complexes, Nguyen Thi Huu Hoa, Deputy Director of the HCM City Planning and Investment Department, said the department has submitted to the city’s localities the plan under which enterprises with healthy financial capabilities will be chosen to build the infrastructure for the complexes which will then be allocated or leased to schools.
Nguyen Van Ngu, Director of the Planning and Finance Department under the Ministry of Education and Training said there will be no solution until there is support from the government.
Kieu Oanh
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