Parents Association 'overcharges': Schools are being 'begged' too much!

When the “voluntary” contributions through the Parents’ Association were met with backlash, most school leaders “blamed” the responsibility on the Parents’ Association. More humorously, many administrators complained that they were being “forced” too much!

Anyone can guess the answer of the school leaders when there is an incident related to the “overcharging” of the Parents’ Representative Board (PBO). School management often “brushes it off” and claims that it is the parents’ job, they themselves propose, call for and carry out projects in the school with the hope that their children will have better learning conditions.

There are even managers who bluntly say that the school has nothing to do with it. Even though the actions of the Parents' Association in many cases can be said to be a brutal intervention in the school. It could be chiseling, painting, assembling... changing the structure of the classroom and school.

The draft calling on parents to pay up to 46 fees with a total of 332 million VND of the Parents' Association of a primary school in Ho Chi Minh City has shocked many people.

No less funny, many principals even complained that they could not refuse, the parents were too enthusiastic. It was as if the school was also "forced" to accept.

At the beginning of this school year, the Parents' Association of a first grade class at Le Van Sy Primary School, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, carried out a project to "change the look" of the classroom with many items such as repainting the classroom, replacing tables and chairs, installing air conditioners, buying televisions and re-flooring... with a budget of more than a hundred million VND.

Many parents were upset, the normal classroom structure was completely changed. But the school principal "innocently" replied that this was not the school's proposal but the Parents' Association's proposal. The school did not agree to many items such as flooring, replacing new desks and chairs... but then the parents begged so much that the school could not refuse.

The answer that the school is not involved, that is the job of the Parents' Council is extremely humorous and ridiculous. In fact, almost all the projects implemented by the Parents' Council, instead of being truly for the students, are deeply and closely related to all activities and festivals of the school.

Unrelated, but parents' projects always hit the right spots in the school, where only those in the know know where the "lice" are.

Not related to the school, but a real concern for parents is that if they do not contribute, their children will easily be "discriminated against" by teachers and schools.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ngai, former Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, shared that a school is like a house, the principal has the greatest responsibility there. Like his house, if he does not propose or agree, who can paint, chisel, or repair it?

Talking about the school's "innocence" in the "overcharging" of the Parents' Council, Ms. Hoang Lan, a teacher in Ho Chi Minh City, frankly said that the Parents' Council should still exist but should not be related to finances or any revenue or expenditure. Especially revenue and expenditure related to "renovation" in the school.

According to Ms. Lan, the current focus of the Board of Directors on financial matters is due to the school and teachers. How would the Board of Directors know that the school has a toilet that needs to be repaired, how would they know that this room lacks a projector, that room lacks this or that... They don't know but are "fed"!

Furthermore, if the school and teachers refuse to accept any money from the BDD, who can “force” them? Ms. Lan also believes that if the school’s facilities do not meet the requirements for safety or teaching, the principal has the responsibility to make a recommendation to the leadership. That is their duty and cannot be put on the students.

Parents waiting to pay tuition for their children. Illustration photo.

In the current conditions, the contribution of parents and society to the school is necessary. However, for school projects, instead of using the "screen" of the Parents' Association, the school should clearly demonstrate its responsibility.

As the father Vo Quoc Binh - who has just submitted a petition to the Government to dissolve the Parents' Association - said, if the school directly mobilizes and has a clear document, he will consider contributing according to his ability. But through the Parents' Association, he flatly refuses to contribute to "construction" in the school. This is also the thinking of many parents.

A leader working at the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, the school is transparent about how much budget is allocated. For things that the budget is not enough, cannot cover everything, the school leaders can propose to the parents. The parents can contribute as much as they can, then invest within that amount and then publicly disclose the revenue and expenditure clearly...

The fact that the Parents' Association calls for excessive collection and expenditure in schools is very offensive, causing suffering to parents and creating a dirty school environment.

According to Dantri