Nguyễn Thị Út Em (right), head of the AISVN's council, has been banned from leaving the country over personal income tax debts. Photo AISVN

HCM CITY — Nguyễn Thị Út Em, the head of the American International School Vietnam (AISVN)'s council in HCM City, has been banned from leaving the country due to personal income tax debts, announced the municipal People’s Committee.

Additionally, the school has been suspended from admitting new students in the new school year amid teacher’s strike.

On March 18, all classes had to be canceled as most of the teachers went on strike over unpaid salary.

On March 20, up to 85 teachers have resigned.

The city authorities have issued instructions for the relevant authorities to oversee the operations of the AIS American International Education company, as the company has direct impacts on on the operation and educational standards of AISVN.

Several units have been assigned the task of proposing salary payment plans for teachers, as well as Vietnamese and foreign workers employed at AISVN. The move aims to ensure the stability of the school's operations until the end of the current school year.

The city’s Department of Education and Training is responsible for making a decision to suspend AISVN's enrollment for the 2024-25 school year, until the investor resolves financial, personnel, and teaching stability issues.

The department must also have solutions to ensure students' rights and not let their study be interrupted.

According to the city People’s Committee, seven educational facilities agreed to admit AISVN’s students. Those schools can receive up to 1,088 students.

The city People's Committee has assigned the Department of Education and Training to continue working with these schools and soon submit a plan to mobilise more teachers to teach the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme.

The AISVN is a private school fully invested by domestic sources.

The school currently has more than 1,200 students studying the IB programme, 129 foreign teachers, 26 Vietnamese teachers and 103 other employees.

The school has paid 70 per cent of the January 2024 salary and owed the February 2024 salary to foreign teachers.

It has paid January salary payment to Vietnamese teachers and owed February 2024 salary.

As most teachers refused to work for not fully receiving salaries and insurance, on March 18, the school management board had to let all students stay home.

On March 19-20, although the school reopened, 50-55 per cent of teachers still went on strike.

From March 25 to 31, all students had spring break following the school's plan.

Concerned about the potential disruption to their children's education following the conclusion of spring break, on March 28 over 100 parents submitted a joint petition to the HCM City Department of Education and Training. In their plea, they suggested implementing online learning as a viable alternative for students.

In September 2023, many parents gathered in front of the school gate, demanding that the school repay billions of đồng in debt.

These parents said they lent tens of billions of đồng to the school without interest, without collateral, through loan and investment contracts.

In return, their children can study for free, and the school committed to paying after the students graduate or transfer schools. However, they later did not receive their money back. — VNS