Meeting to discuss new tuition fees at preschool level

(Baonghean.vn). After Nghe An Newspaper and many press agencies mentioned the issue: Some kindergartens in Vinh City implement high-quality programs, collect tuition fees at the maximum level according to Decision 40, dated August 16, 2011 of the Provincial People's Committee, while not yet developing program content and conditions for high-quality standards, on the afternoon of September 20, under the chairmanship of Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee had a working session with leaders of the Department of Education and Training and a number of related departments, branches, leaders and reporters of press agencies to inform about the implementation of Decision No. 40 of the Provincial People's Committee on regulations on tuition fees for public kindergartens implementing high-quality programs with partial autonomy in operating costs.

At the meeting, comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong asked the leaders of the Department of Education and Training, the People's Committee and the Department of Education and Training of Vinh City to explain some of the contents raised by the press regarding the issue of increasing tuition fees in some preschools in the city. Increasing tuition fees to implement high-quality programs is a necessary and reasonable policy, in line with the requirements of socialized education; aiming to create the best conditions for preschool education to have the conditions to invest in facilities and improve quality. However, the fact that some preschools in Vinh City are collecting new tuition fees with a maximum of 540 thousand VND/month is not in accordance with the spirit of Decision 40 of the Provincial People's Committee.

Regarding this issue, the Department of Education and Training, the People's Committee and the Department of Education and Training of Vinh City have explained and accepted responsibility for not having inter-sectoral guidelines for implementing the new tuition fee level, but some schools have organized the collection and collected at the maximum level, which is unfounded. At the same time, they affirmed that they have and will promptly develop criteria for high-quality programs; organize surveys and review the conditions of schools in the high-quality program to guide the application of appropriate tuition fees; provide full information on high-quality criteria for public preschools that are partially self-funded. Improving the quality of teaching will be done simultaneously with increasing tuition fees; there should be appropriate steps in propaganda so that parents know, discuss and choose schools for their children.

Concluding the working session, Comrade Nguyen Xuan Duong emphasized and noted that when implementing tuition fee increases, the education sector must follow a roadmap, have specific steps and be suitable to actual conditions. The Department of Education and Training is waiting for the opinion of the Ministry of Education and Training on implementing tuition fees for preschools implementing high-quality programs or based on Decree 49 of the Government, Decision 40 of the Provincial People's Committee to have specific instructions on implementing new reasonable tuition fees, in order to improve the quality of preschool education and create consensus in society.

Thao Nhi