The educational institution located in Nha Be District caters to students from kindergarten through 12th grade, offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.
On Monday, Thanh Phuong, the parent of a 9th-grade student at the school, revealed that she had received an email the previous evening stating that there is a shortage of teachers, which could jeopardize the quality of education and student safety.
Expressing her concerns, Phuong shared, “It remains uncertain whether the students will be able to resume classes in the upcoming days due to the ongoing teacher strike. The situation has been escalating for months, leaving me anxious about the future.”
Another parent, Hong Hanh, who has three children enrolled at the school, expressed shock at the recent turn of events. The disruption caused by the children’s inability to attend school has significantly impacted their family routine. Hanh emphasized the urgency for the school to find a viable resolution to ensure uninterrupted education for the students.
“I never anticipated that an international school would face such a predicament,” remarked Hanh. “It appears highly likely that the students will not be able to return to school within the next two days, followed by an extended spring break exceeding 10 days. There is a risk that foreign teachers might depart for their home countries post the holiday period if their salary and insurance concerns remain unaddressed.”
During a recent parent-teacher meeting, school authorities disclosed that 95% of the teaching staff would abstain from work on Monday due to outstanding salary and insurance payments. Consequently, Nguyen Thi Ut Em, the head of the school’s management board, made the decision to suspend classes for all students on Monday.
The school attributed its financial struggles as the reason for the delayed and incomplete disbursement of salaries to its staff. Despite a previous appeal for financial assistance from parents, the school did not receive the anticipated support.
Le Thuy My Chau, the deputy director of the HCMC Department of Education and Training, assured that the department is collaborating with the school to safeguard the rights of both parents and students during this challenging period.
Established in 2006, AISVN boasted a student body exceeding 1,400 students, supported by 200 foreign educators and 300 local staff members by the end of the preceding year. The annual tuition fees range from VND280-350 million ($11,327-14,159) for kindergarteners, VND450-500 million for primary students, and 600-725 million for middle and high school students.
In September of the previous year, a group of parents had rallied to demand the school settle outstanding debts. They highlighted that the school had allowed their children to study without interest, yet failed to reimburse the amount even after their children had completed their education.
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) houses 35 educational institutions with foreign investments, predominantly following curricula from the U.S., the U.K., and Canada, supplemented by select Vietnamese subjects. The annual tuition fees at these schools can soar up to VND1 billion.