Provincial People's Council discussion group: Hot issue of increasing tuition fees

(Baonghean.vn) - Increasing tuition fees is an issue of concern to many delegates in the discussion sessions in groups.

On the afternoon of August 3, within the framework of the 2nd session, the 17th Provincial People's Council held a discussion session in groups. Group 5 included Provincial People's Council delegates elected in the constituencies of Do Luong, Nam Dan and Anh Son districts. Comrade Dang Thanh Tung - Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Anh Son district, People's Council delegate chaired the discussion.

Comrade Hoang Viet Duong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council attended the discussion.

Also attending were elected National Assembly deputies of the 14th term in Do Luong, Nam Dan and Anh Son districts; leaders of the Provincial Party Committee's Organizing Committee; heads of units: Department of Industry and Trade, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Party Committee of Provincial Agencies, Provincial Labor Federation, Office of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, District Party Committee Secretary, Chairman of People's Council and Chairman of People's Committee of Do Luong, Nam Dan and Anh Son districts.

Delegates attending the discussion.

In a democratic and frank spirit, delegates from Group 5 discussed many issues that voters in the province are interested in regarding the socio-economic situation, national security and defense. Specifically, the issues are: budget revenue, expenditure and tax arrears, public debt in capital investment; recovery of slow-moving projects in the province; support policies for cement for rural roads; return of rural power grids; finding effective solutions for the conversion of agricultural cooperatives; support policies for prevention, control, rescue and relief in case of forest fires; mechanisms and policies to support poverty reduction; adjustment of tuition fees (applied from 2016 - 2017), zoning of tuition fees, socialization of education...

Comrade Nguyen Thi Kim Chi - Director of the Department of Education and Training said that the issue of increasing tuition fees depends on factors such as the education budget, the socio-economic situation and the socialization of education.

Regarding education, in her speech, delegate Nguyen Thi Kim Chi - Director of the Department of Education and Training pointed out the sudden increase in the number of students in preschool education. This situation has led to a shortage of teachers and classrooms, causing great difficulties for the province's education sector. Currently, the Department has advised the provincial leaders and districts and cities on the socialization of education.

Regarding the issue of increasing tuition fees, the Director of the Department of Education and Training hopes that delegates will discuss to find solutions because this is an issue directly related to people's lives.

He also said that the reason why Nghe An has a higher tuition fee than some other provinces and cities is due to many factors. For example, this tuition fee is based on the local socio-economic situation; depends on the funding source for education; socialization of education... Meanwhile, the funding for education in our province is not at a high level, while we are striving to maintain the target of being in the top of the country. If tuition fees are not increased, will this target be achieved?

Delegate Tran Van Huong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association pointed out the current situation at the beginning of the new school year where there is often a rush to enroll in classes and schools. Regarding the issue of increasing tuition fees and zoning, the delegate said that it is necessary to survey and specifically evaluate the specific economic and social indicators of the locality, and not to average each region.

Delegate Tran Van Huong is concerned about the situation of rushing to get into schools and classes at all levels that still occurs at the beginning of the new school year, causing many consequences.

Regarding the issue of running schools and classes, Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Chi affirmed that the facilities in the city are not overloaded. The overload situation is only virtual, if based on household registration and the right route, the overload situation certainly cannot happen. So the cause of this problem is mostly due to the psychology of parents.

Ms. Chi said that the quality of education, especially education at preschool, primary and secondary levels, has not been differentiated. Therefore, she hopes that parents should not choose schools and classes based on the psychology of lobbying and asking for favors, causing difficulties for education officials and many consequences.

A class at Cau Giat town secondary school (Quynh Luu).

Regarding the issue of overcharging, currently there are 3 types of fees in schools. These are tuition, bicycle parking fees and insurance fees. There is another type of fee that is voluntary. However, due to the way it is explained, parents may mistake it for a mandatory fee. The Department of Education affirms that this fee is not mandatory at all, so any school or class that applies a voluntary fee as a mandatory fee is requested to report to the Department for handling.

Comrade Hoang Viet Duong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council affirmed that the division of tuition fees into zones is correct and appropriate. However, he suggested that the tuition fee level should be really close to the economic life of each locality, if possible, it could be surveyed and divided into levels within a region.

Speaking at the discussion, Comrade Hoang Viet Duong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council highly appreciated the quality of the content discussed by the delegates. In addition, he noted the zoning work, suggesting that a resolution be built that is truly close to the economic life of each locality. If possible, survey and divide the levels in a region. Regarding the issue raised by delegates about the high tuition fees compared to some localities in the country, Comrade Hoang Viet Duong noted that the Department of Education and Training needs to balance the fees between localities, not too high or too low but must be harmonious.

In addition, at voting group number 5, delegates also paid more attention to food safety and hygiene and counterfeit goods.

Delegates said that functional sectors need to strengthen inspection and control work because currently the situation of counterfeit goods, fake goods, poor quality goods, and food safety violations is complicated, affecting the rights and psychology of consumers, causing difficulties for state management of the economy and society in general and the quality of goods in particular.

At group 5, delegates gave their opinions on the issue of public debt in basic construction, bonus debt for communes that completed new rural construction, support policies for the development of small and medium enterprises; early balancing of the budget to resolve the payment of subsidies to beneficiaries of monthly social assistance...

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