Taking over SOS Children's Village Vinh and Hermann Gmeiner High School Vinh:In line with international practice and opening up new avenues for development.
The transfer of SOS Children's Village Vinh and Hermann Gmeiner High School Vinh to Nghe An province for management is considered a special milestone in the development journey of the two units. This also opens a new phase of development with high expectations for greater proactiveness and collaboration in their operations.
Opening up learning opportunities for all students.
On May 26th, Nghe An province completed the reception process.SOS Children's VillageandHermann Gmeiner High SchoolThe SOS Children's Villages Vietnam system will be transferred to provincial management. Accordingly, from this point onwards, SOS Children's Villages will be under the direct management of the Department of Health. Meanwhile, SOS Vinh Kindergarten will become the second branch of Hoa Sen Kindergarten, and Hermann Gmeiner Vinh Secondary School will be directly managed by the Department of Education and Training and will be converted from a private to a public school.
Along with the handover and change of managing entity, from May 26th, these units will no longer use their old names. Regarding this matter, at the handover ceremony, Ms. Le Minh Giang - National Director of SOS Children's Villages Vietnam - also stated that the decision not to continue using the old logo, brand, and images after handing over SOS Children's Village Vinh and Hermann Gmeiner Vinh School to local management stems from several reasons.
Accordingly, the name, logo, and image of SOS are protected assets worldwide. Therefore, according to the regulations of SOS International, when a unit is transferred to a local authority and is no longer a member organization, it is not allowed to continue using the organization's logo and brand.
In addition, to use the official name and symbols, the organization must maintain membership status, which means paying regular membership fees to the international organization.
Representatives from SOS Children's Villages Vietnam also stated that when using the SOS brand, the organization is legally responsible for the use of the logo and trademark. Therefore, once direct sponsorship and management cease, the organization cannot allow the unit to continue using the old name to avoid legal liability issues regarding the unit's activities and objectives after the transfer.
In recent days, the transfer and renaming of the school has attracted public attention, as well as that of those who have been long associated with the school and the SOS Children's Village. At Hermann Gmeiner High School, after more than 30 years of operation and close ties with many generations of students and teachers, this change has left many unforgettable memories. As the school principal, Ms. Tran Thi Thu Hien said that although she and many generations of teachers and students feel regret at having to say goodbye to the name Hermann Gmeiner, which has been associated with them for so many years, the school also recognizes that Mr. Hermann Gmeiner and the humanistic education model he built have completed their "historical mission" in Nghe An.
According to Ms. Hien, each name is associated with a historical period and carries its own mission. Therefore, changing the school's name is not simply about changing a designation, but also reflects the school's transformation in response to new development requirements.
"If in the past, Hermann Gmeiner was a school of love and compassion, primarily caring for orphans and children with special circumstances so that they could integrate into the community, today, that school is entering a new phase with a broader scope and mission."
Accordingly, the school is no longer limited to caring for and educating children at SOS Children's Villages or orphanages, but aims for a larger goal: creating a quality educational environment for students in the Vinh urban area and surrounding regions.”
Ms. Tran Thi Thu Hien - Principal of the school
Despite changes in name and management, the school principal believes that the core values left behind by Mr. Hermann Gmeiner - the founder of SOS Children's Villages International - namely love, compassion, and sharing, will not be lost, but will continue to be inherited and spread more widely in the new educational environment.
Further elaborating on this, the school principal also stated that Hermann Gmeiner High School currently has 39 classes with 1,603 students. In recent years, despite being an international school, it has operated autonomously, resulting in higher tuition fees for students compared to public schools; teachers at the school do not receive the same allowances or seniority benefits as public school teachers. Therefore, upon transitioning to a public school, students will enjoy the same rights as public school students, without having to pay tuition fees. In addition, the change in the admissions mechanism will provide the school with an opportunity to improve the quality of education because the student intake will be equal to that of other public schools in the area. Teachers will also have the opportunity to receive salaries based on a coefficient system and allowances as stipulated by the State.
A shared home for disadvantaged children
After taking over and establishing the Nghe An Children's Village based on the SOS Children's Village in Vinh, the province will adjust and reorganize its operational model to better comply with state regulations. At the same time, it will promote the effectiveness of the family-based care model, strengthen resources, and expand the scope of support for children with special circumstances in the province.
Previously, SOS Children's Village Vinh was established in 1989 and currently directly cares for 124 children and adolescents. Over its 34 years of formation and development, SOS Children's Village Vinh has also affirmed its role as an effective model in the care, nurturing, and education of children with special circumstances in the province.
To date, the village has been caring for 973 children, of whom 734 have grown up, more than 400 have started their own families and settled down, and many have achieved remarkable accomplishments, including one PhD holder trained abroad who is currently a lecturer at the Military Technical Academy, one Meritorious Artist; more than 40 have completed or are currently pursuing master's degrees domestically and internationally, more than 230 have graduated from university, 45 from college, and 220 from vocational schools and training centers…
In addition to direct care activities at the village, from 2008 to 2023, the Village provided community support to 540 disadvantaged children in 13 districts, cities, and towns in the province.
Based on the achievements, Mr. Tran Minh Thanh, Assistant Director of SOS Children's Village, stated: "The transfer of SOS Children's Village Vinh to the Nghe An Department of Health is an important step to ensure continuity in the care and nurturing of children with special circumstances. We also hope that, with the attention of the province and the coordination of relevant sectors, the children will continue to study and live in a stable, safe, and loving environment."
Regarding the handover process, at the unit handover ceremony, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Thai Van Thanh instructed the departments and agencies to "get to work immediately." This includes completing the personnel and salary records for the mothers, aunts, and staff members to ensure that their lives are not affected.
The Department of Health, in coordination with relevant departments, agencies, and units, developed a draft plan for establishing a Children's Village in Nghe An province, based on the acquisition of the SOS Children's Village in Vinh, which was approved by the Provincial People's Committee at its regular meeting on May 28, 2026.
.jpg)
Mr. Nguyen Tung Lam, Head of the Personnel and Organization Department of the Department of Health, stated: While awaiting the Central Organization Committee's allocation of additional personnel, the Department of Health, in coordination with the Department of Home Affairs, is advising the Provincial People's Committee to allow the transfer of personnel receiving salaries from the state budget (unused, retired, transferred, etc.) from public service units under the health sector to the Nghe An Children's Village. (After the Central Government allocates personnel to Nghe An province, they will redistribute them to the units). Based on this, the Department will implement the recruitment process through a selection process for civil servants currently working at the SOS Children's Village Vinh according to current regulations (the period of employment with mandatory social insurance contributions at the SOS Children's Village Vinh will be used as the basis for salary classification). In cases where the recruitment standards for civil servants are not met, they will be contracted according to Government Decree No. 111/2022/ND-CP dated December 30, 2022.
Regarding the proposed renaming of Hermann Gmeiner High School, the school principal stated that using the new name "Nguyen Tat Thanh High School" would carry more humanitarian significance and align with the values that the SOS system has always pursued.
According to Ms. Hien, President Ho Chi Minh always showed special love for children and young people. These thoughts and feelings have many points of convergence with the humanitarian spirit that the founder of SOS Children's Villages aims for – that is, dedicating all his love to children in difficult circumstances and lacking a place to live: “I feel there is a very natural connection between people who possess great ideas and immense love for humanity, especially children,” Ms. Hien added.
The school principal also stated that using the name Nguyen Tat Thanh High School would be a continuation of the positive values the school has built over the years – a school of love, compassion, and sharing. At the same time, this name also suggests a connection between Vietnam and the international humanitarian values that the SOS organization has fostered.
She also stated that the name "Nguyen Tat Thanh" is associated with President Ho Chi Minh's youth – the period when he embarked on a journey to find a way to save the country with a great aspiration for independence, freedom, and a better future for the nation. This meaning also aligns with the school's mission of empowering and transforming the lives of orphaned children and those from particularly disadvantaged backgrounds, giving them the opportunity to grow and succeed in life.
"If this name is chosen, I believe it will not only be an administrative change, but also a continuation of a great humanitarian ideal for the younger generation," Ms. Hien affirmed.