Kindergarten students during playtime at a school in HCM City’s Gò Vấp District. — VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp

HCM CITY — HCM City's education sector has proposed that kindergarten and high school students in the city be granted full tuition waivers starting next academic year.

In a draft outlining tuition support policies for the 2025-2026 school year, the municipal Department of Education and Training said that the waivers would significantly benefit students across the entire city, reflecting the city’s commitment to invest in education.

If approved, the policy would provide tuition exemptions for all students at the kindergarten through high school levels, including at both public and private institutions, with the exception of schools with foreign investments.

An estimated VNĐ653 billion (US$25.7 million) from the public budget would be allocated to cover tuition waivers for the 2025-2026 academic year, as reported by the department.

If approved, the country’s largest city would join eight other localities that have already eliminated tuition fees for primary and secondary education.

These include Đà Nẵng, Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu, Hải Phòng, Quảng Ninh, Khánh Hòa, Quảng Nam, Vĩnh Phúc and Yên Bái.

According to Government Decrees 81 (2021) and 97 (2023), public school tuition fees range from VNĐ50,000 to VNĐ650,000 per month, with specific rates determined by local authorities based on regional circumstances.

Currently, tuition fees vary from VNĐ8,000 to VNĐ340,000, depending on the educational level and geographic location, with lower rates generally found in rural areas. — VNS