Students at Phạm Ngọc Thạch Primary School in Phú Nhuận District, HCM City, during the new school year's opening ceremony on Tuesday. —VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Đạt

HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Education and Training has announced that all expenses for supporting services for educational activities must follow the regulations issued by the city. 

These amounts are not included in tuition fees and are paid by students and their families. 

The city’s People’s Council in July issued a resolution specifying four groups of fees and the maximum applicable amount, including expenses for extracurricular activities, for activities as part of the city’s educational projects, for boarding services, and for individual student support.

According to the city’s education and training department, this categorisation is for easier implementation and supervision in the new school year, minimising overcharging or improper fee collection among schools and related facilities. 

Based on these regulations, the existing resources and the needs of parents, schools will develop estimates for revenue and expenditure for the academic year. 

The HCM City Department of Education and Training also required that all applicable fees be announced in written documents to students and their families. 

The school’s finance department is responsible for collecting fees and issuing receipts and invoices for each student, with financial management regulations in place. 

All transactions must be non-cash payments and teachers are not involved in the process.

The education and training department will also increase inspection and supervision in facilities within its authority. 

For underprivileged students, the department has also requested schools to carry out reduction and exemption measures for tuition fees and other expenses, in accordance with regulations and guidelines. 

District-level Divisions of Education and Training and Divisions of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs will also work together to review the list of students eligible for financial support, which will be sent to educational facilities in the city. 

They will also provide assistance to students while the financial support is being finalised, said the city’s education and training department. — VNS