A student in HCM City studies online during the first semester of the 2021-22 academic year amid school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. — VNA/VNS Photo Thu Hoài

HCM CITY — The HCM City People’s Council has agreed to continue the tuition fee exemption for students at public schools and the tuition fee subsidy for students at private international schools for the second semester of the 2021-2022 academic year.

The city government will use its budget to compensate for the exemption, which is allowed under the authority of the National Assembly.

The academic year has two semesters with breaks for holidays. The first semester usually begins in September and ends in January and the second semester will end in May.

Students in the city have been studying online during the first semester of the 2021-22 academic year amid school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city’s Department of Education and Training has worked with experienced teachers to pre-record lessons and broadcast them on television. Parents can watch TV and study with their children every day.

Offline school activities will resume when the pandemic is under better control and teachers and students are fully vaccinated, according to the department.

The city has divided the students and schools into two groups for the tuition fee subsidy.

Group 1 includes students at schools in Thủ Đức City, and districts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, Bình Thạnh, Phú Nhuận, Gò Vấp, Tân Bình, Tân Phú and Bình Tân.

Group 2 includes students at schools in Bình Chánh, Hóc Môn, Củ Chi, Nhà Bè and Cần Giờ districts.

The city requires public schools and educational institutions to reduce half of the tuition fee for students learning online.

The municipal People’s Council agreed to continue financial support for public kindergartens in Group 2, and secondary schools and continuing education for the secondary level in both Group 1 and 2.

In a related matter, a resolution has been passed by the municipal People's Council calling for preferential policies for developing preschool education in export processing zones (EPZs) and industrial parks (IPs) in the city.

Accordingly, all types of private preschools in areas with EPZs and IPs will receive one-time financial support if at least 30 per cent of their students are children of workers at EPZs and IPs.

Each establishment will get VNĐ20 million (US$867) for less than 30 children, VNĐ35 million ($1.500) for 30-50 children, and VNĐ50 million ($2.200) for 50-70 children.

Each child will receive a monthly support of VNĐ160,000 ($7), not exceeding nine months of the academic year. Meanwhile, preschool teachers will be given VNĐ800,000 ($35) each per month.

All support policies will officially take effect on December 19.

Previously, the city’s total budget of VNĐ427 billion ($18.5 million) had been earmarked for waiving tuition fees for students at public schools for the first semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. — VNS