What authority does the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level in Nghe An have when directly managing schools in the area?

On July 1, along with localities across the country, 130 wards and communes in Nghe An officially took over the management of more than 1,300 kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools in the area. Of which, the 2 wards with the largest number of schools to manage are Thanh Vinh ward and Truong Vinh ward, with 26 public schools, not to mention many other private schools. These are also the 2 wards with the largest population in Nghe An province.

Thanh Vinh Ward was formed on the basis of merging old wards including Cua Nam, Dong Vinh, Hung Binh, Le Loi, Quang Trung and Hung Chinh commune. Truong Vinh Ward was formed on the basis of merging 7 old wards and communes including: Truong Thi, Trung Do, Ben Thuy, Vinh Tan, Hung Dung, Hung Phuc and Hung Hoa.

In addition to these two wards of the old Vinh city center, Do Luong commune also has a large number of schools in the area to manage, with 25 public schools from kindergarten to junior high school. This is a new commune, formed on the basis of merging 9 old communes and towns including Nam Son, Bac Son, Dang Son, Luu Son, Yen Son, Van Son, Thinh Son, Da Son communes and Do Luong town.

The authorities of the People's Committee at the commune level

Before handing over to wards and communes for direct management, the leader of the Department of Education and Training of Nghe An province said that the unit also issued an official dispatch on instructions for implementing the responsibility of state management of education of the People's Committee at the commune level when organizing a two-level local government.

This document clearly states the functions, tasks and powers of the People's Committee at the commune level as well as the new Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level. Specifically, regarding the responsibility for state management of education, The People's Committee at the commune level performs the function of state management of education in the commune, ward, and special zone and is responsible to the People's Committee at the provincial level and the Department of Education and Training in organizing, directing, and inspecting educational activities under its management authority according to regulations.

In particular, regarding the development of plans, programs, projects, policies for education development, the People's Committee at the commune level has the authority and responsibility to develop and submit to the People's Council at the commune level for approval the education development plan in the area under its management; organize the implementation when approved; Guide, propagate, disseminate and organize the implementation of legal documents on education; deploy plans, programs, projects, policies and other contents on education after being approved by competent authorities; Advise and submit to the People's Council at the commune level for decision, plans, programs, projects for the development of preschool, primary and secondary education (KN, TH, THCS) in the area in accordance with the education development strategy of the province and the socio-economic development plan of the locality.

Regarding educational facilities, the People's Committee at the commune level has the authority and responsibility to decide on planning and land use plans for education in the area within the scope of decentralized management; Decide on investment or participate in investment in the construction of kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, general schools with many levels, including the highest level of secondary schools, community learning centers according to regulations; coordinate with relevant units to advise competent authorities on the construction of national standard schools; Manage and organize the effective use of offices, assets, working means and state budget assigned in the area according to the provisions of law; ensure sufficient conditions on finance, assets, facilities and land funds according to regulations on decentralization of revenue sources and expenditure tasks of competent authorities; strengthen the policy of socializing education, mobilizing resources to develop education in the area.

The People's Committee at the commune level will also decide on the allocation and assignment of budget estimates to affiliated educational institutions when approved by competent authorities; approve the final accounts, notify the annual final accounts and summarize the final budget reports of affiliated educational institutions; submit to competent authorities for guidance and inspection of the allocation and use of state budget and other legal financial sources for educational institutions in the area according to regulations. Be responsible for payment and settlement of tuition exemption and reduction funds, support for learning costs, and tuition support according to the provisions of law.

Regarding the team of teachers, management staff, civil servants and workers, the People's Committee at the commune level will manage the organization and personnel of the community learning center; Propose the need for the team of teachers within the scope of management, report to competent authorities; coordinate with the Department of Education and Training in guiding the implementation of the work of using, managing, implementing policies to develop the team of teachers, management staff, civil servants and workers within the scope of management according to authority.

The Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level has the right to establish kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools.

In addition, the leaders of the Department of Education and Training also guided the state management responsibilities of education of the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level. Specifically, the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level has the right and responsibility to organize the planning of construction and investment for educational institutions in the area according to regulations; report to competent authorities on the situation of mobilizing, receiving, managing and using funding of educational institutions under their management authority. Direct and effectively organize the work of eliminating illiteracy and strengthening the quality of universal education, compulsory education and building a learning society in the area; coordinate the implementation of preschool education programs, general education programs, at the highest level of lower secondary education, continuing education, vocational education in the locality; mobilize the maximum number of people of school age to ensure universal education, compulsory education, eliminating illiteracy, creating conditions for everyone to learn throughout life.

Regarding the organization of activities and management of educational institutions, the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level is responsible for directing and organizing the implementation of autonomy, being accountable for the implementation of tasks, ensuring the quality of education and educational activities under his/her management authority; Deciding to establish or permit the establishment, permit educational activities, suspend educational activities, merge, divide, separate, dissolve, and convert types of preschool, primary, and secondary educational institutions (except for ethnic minority secondary schools); Directing and guiding the work of enrolling students at the beginning of preschool, primary, and secondary educational institutions (except for ethnic minority secondary schools); directing, guiding, and supervising schools in the area under his/her management authority to implement educational quality assessment work, build schools that meet national standards, and implement quality improvement plans to maintain and improve educational quality; appraising educational quality assessment records for preschool, primary, and secondary schools before sending them to the Department of Education and Training.

The Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level also has the responsibility and authority to organize and manage preschools; primary schools, secondary schools, and community learning centers in the area under his/her management; be accountable for educational activities, educational quality, teacher and learner management, and implement educational development policies under his/her management authority before the People's Committee at the provincial level, the Department of Education and Training, and the whole society; coordinate with the Department of Education and Training and relevant agencies to manage the implementation of regulations on extra teaching and learning in the area; and carry out educational communication work in the area.

Regarding inspection in the field of education, the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level is responsible for directing and organizing the inspection of compliance with the law for educational institutions under the state management authority of the People's Committee at the commune level; Directing and implementing the settlement of complaints, denunciations and handling of violations in education for educational institutions in the area under the management authority according to the provisions of law; Directing and organizing the inspection of conditions to ensure educational quality of educational institutions in the area under the management authority; Directing, organizing the inspection and supervision of the implementation of the management of teachers, managers of educational institutions, civil servants and workers at educational institutions under the management authority.

The Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level also has the authority to decide or submit to the competent authority to decide on rewarding organizations and individuals who have made many contributions to the cause of education development in the area. Direct and organize the implementation of full, accurate and timely updating of information and data into the education sector database system, the universal education management information system, connecting and interoperating data with related systems; carry out statistical work, periodic and ad hoc reporting, and publicity in the education sector under the management authority; Direct and organize the implementation of administrative reform, application of information technology, digital transformation and digital schools in the education sector.

In addition, the Department of Education and Training has also guided wards and communes to perform the tasks prescribed in Decree No. 143/2025/ND-CP and new Circulars of the Ministry of Education and Training. Specifically, Circular No. 09/2025/TT-BGDDT dated June 12, 2025 on decentralization, delegation and assignment of authority to perform state management tasks of two-level local authorities for preschool education; Circular No. 10/2025/TT-BGDDT dated June 12, 2025 on decentralization, delegation and assignment of authority to perform state management tasks of two-level local authorities for general education; Circular No. 11/2025/TT-BGDDT dated June 12, 2025, regulating the decentralization, delegation and assignment of authority to perform state management tasks of two-level local authorities in vocational education and continuing education; Circular No. 12/2025/TT-BGDDT dated June 12, 2025, regulating the decentralization, delegation and assignment of authority to perform state management tasks of two-level local authorities in the field of teachers and educational institution managers; Circular No. 13/2025/TT-BGDDT dated June 12, 2025, regulating the decentralization, delegation and assignment of authority to perform state management tasks of two-level local authorities in the field of education.

These Circulars have provided specific and detailed guidance on each authority of the People's Committee at the commune level and the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level. In particular, most of the phrases such as the authority of "People's Committee at the district level", "Chairman of the People's Committee at the district level" and "Department of Education and Training", etc. in the old regulations are replaced by the phrase "People's Committee at the commune level", or "Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level".