Semi-state-owned and people-founded primary, secondary and high schools will have to shift to operate under the mode of private schools, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has decided.

These are the common principles of the process of renewing the models of educational establishments at the pre-school and general school education levels.

Under the decision, in localities where there are not enough state-owned schools to meet the demand for primary and secondary education universalisation, local authorities will release decisions on shifting some educational establishments to state-owned ones.

Semi-state owned kindergartens in areas with very difficult socio-economic conditions will be turned into state-owned schools while semi-state-owned kindergartens in other areas will be turned into either people-founded or private kindergartens.

MOET has noted that in localities where there are not enough state-owned kindergartens to meet the demand for pre-school education universalisation, local authorities will be able to turn kindergartens into state-owned ones.

The shift aims to ensure that Vietnam has enough state-owned schools to meet the demand for education universalisation for 5-year-old children, primary and secondary students and demand for socio-economic development in the localities.

Projects on the shifting of school ownership need to show the new models of the schools, the time of change. Especially, it is necessary to clarify investors and investors’ financial capability if semi-state-owned educational establishments are turned into people-founded or private schools.

Moreover, the ministry has also asked for the compilation of plans to deal with learners, teachers at the schools and plans on dealing with schools’ assets.

Also according to MOET, within 30 days of the day of receiving applications for shifting school ownership, local education and training departments have to cooperate with relevant branches to consider the applications, check the submitted plans before the final decision is made.

Kieu Oanh