City to subsidise education for poor

HCM CITY — The HCM City People's Council has approved the municipal administration's proposal to issue several support policies for poor and nearly poor households in the 2012-2015 period.

These include specific regulations on education support for the 2012-2013 academic year.

The city expects to spend VND16.19 billion on implementing a policy that exempts or reduces school fees for city pupils who are taking "second shift" classes held in the afternoons. This shift has three 45-minute study periods per day, six days a week, as opposed to the "first shift" that will have five study periods.

The city also plans to subsidise 50 per cent of tuition fees for students from poor households whose average income is between VND10 million – 12 million per person per year, and 100 per cent of the fees for students from households with incomes below VND10 million per person per year.

A total of 1,500 such students are expected to be supported with VND4 billion.

The city will also support poor workers to learn English before going to work overseas. Another programme will provide vocational training support for poor workers from the city's 17 districts. — VNS