The parents’ association fund is understood as the operational fund of the school’s parent representative board. According to regulations, contributions are voluntary and should be used directly for students’ benefit, such as awards, student support, and extracurricular activities. Most schools still maintain this fund; however, despite being labeled as “voluntary,” these contributions often become a source of pressure for families. Therefore, when certain schools adopt a policy of not collecting school- or class-level funds, it eases a financial burden on parents.

Nam Thanh Kindergarten in Mường Thanh ward has abolished its Parents’ association fund since the 2023-2024 school year. Parents no longer have to contribute, and no fundraising activities are carried out. Funding for extracurricular activities outside the state budget now mainly comes from voluntary donations by teachers and staff, while some programs receive sponsorship from organizations or individuals. Most recently, to organize a warm and joyful Mid-Autumn Festival for the children, the school encouraged voluntary parental support, but capped contributions at a maximum of VND 30,000 per student, with teachers and the school supplementing the rest if necessary.

Last year, one student at the school’s Khá satellite campus lost her mother to a serious illness. In the past, such cases would have been supported by the Parents’ association fund. Now, without that fund, the teachers voluntarily contributed their own money to visit and help the family. They even covered all of the child’s school meals and daily expenses so that her education would not be interrupted despite the family’s hardship.

Principal Nguyễn Thị Nhàn shared: “In the first year of implementing this policy, many members of the parent board worried about how the school would fund activities. We decided to try it for one semester. Initially, there were some challenges, especially in organizing visits, student support, and extracurricular programs. But with good communication and strong consensus among staff and teachers, everyone was willing to contribute to create the best learning environment for the children. Thanks to that spirit, the difficulties were overcome, and all activities continued smoothly.”

According to Bùi Văn Nhân, Vice Head of the Nam Thanh Kindergarten Parent Board, some parents still wanted to contribute to have a fund for supporting students and educational activities, but the school leadership maintained its no-fund policy. The teachers are proactive and wholeheartedly devoted to the children, while parents accompany them with moral support. As a result, even without a fund, school activities continue to run effectively and creatively. Parents fully support this approach.

In recent years, Điện Biên has not recorded any cases of improper or excessive fee collection. Nevertheless, the issue of voluntary contributions, including the Parents’ association fund, continues to spark public debate. Many parents believe these contributions show their care and responsibility for improving their children’s educational environment and help enrich school activities. Most parents agree to contribute if the funds are managed transparently, used effectively, and serve the right purposes.

However, others remain concerned. T.V.H. from Điện Biên Phủ ward, a mother of three, shared: “Although the amount for each school’s parent fund is not large, for families with several children, combined with many other start-of-year expenses, it still becomes a considerable burden. Seeing that some schools have stopped collecting these funds but still operate effectively, I think this could be a model worth considering.”

In fact, the socialization of education-related contributions is already governed by clear regulations. According to Circular No. 55/2011/TT-BGDĐT issued by the Ministry of Education and Training, the collection and expenditure of the parent association’s funds must be conducted democratically and transparently. All spending must be publicly reported and reviewed at parent meetings at both class and school levels. Importantly, there is no regulation on a fixed contribution amount, and parent associations are strictly prohibited from collecting funds that are not voluntary or not directly serving their activities, such as school security, campus maintenance, teacher rewards, equipment purchases, or school construction.

Ultimately, whether to maintain or abolish the parents’ association fund should not be a rigid choice but one based on local conditions and consensus within each school. The model at Nam Thanh Kindergarten offers a thought-provoking example of innovation in educational socialization, encouraging schools to find the most suitable solutions, all toward the shared goal of building a positive, effective, and student-centered learning environment.