Speaking with Tuoi Tre, Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu - Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City - said: "In the 2006 - 2007 school year, Le Quy Don High School, District 3 was chosen to pilot the advanced school model.

After that, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee allowed the expansion of this model to many schools and many levels of education. In 2022, the City People's Committee issued Decision No. 07 regulating the criteria for recognizing schools implementing the high-quality program "Advanced, Internationally Integrated School" in Ho Chi Minh City.

However, on October 2, 2024, the Department of Inspection of Legal Normative Documents - Ministry of Justice concluded that the issuance of Decision No. 07 by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee had no legal basis and was not in accordance with the regulatory authority. Therefore, on December 30, 2024, the City People's Committee issued a document to annul Decision No. 07.

* Sir, during this period, how will schools implementing the advanced - integrated model operate and collect tuition fees?

- Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has 69 schools (kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools and high schools) that have been approved in principle to implement the advanced school model project.

As of October 31, 2024, 39 schools have been assessed and recognized as meeting the criteria for advanced schools; 30 schools have been approved in principle to implement the model but have not been inspected and recognized as meeting the criteria.

Facilities implementing the advanced school model still carry out the educational plans that were set at the beginning of the school year. The City Department of Education and Training has and will continue to advise the City to have a new set of standards for advanced schools in accordance with current regulations.

Regarding revenues, the Department will have specific instructions based on current revenue and expenditure regulations, on the basis of ensuring and maintaining stability in school educational activities.

* The advanced - integrated model in Ho Chi Minh City has gone through a long journey from the pilot until now. What is your opinion on the educational effectiveness as well as the advantages and disadvantages of this model?

- Up to now, the high-quality program "Advanced School, International Integration" has been officially implemented in Ho Chi Minh City for more than 10 years. In fact, this model has brought many positive effects, contributing to the innovation of the operating mechanism of public service units.

The most prominent and most obvious point is that schools are proactively and effectively implementing the international integration policy. Specifically, improving the quality of foreign language teaching and learning, integrated teaching, and regularly organizing international exchanges and cooperation in education, culture, and academics with schools abroad.

Not only students but also teachers in advanced schools have many opportunities to improve their English proficiency and their ability to teach subjects in English. This is the premise for making English the second language in schools.

In addition, advanced schools also help promote the socialization of some types of services, promote the autonomy mechanism for public service units; create conditions for some educational institutions to become pioneers in the process of building an advanced and modern education system.

On the other hand, advanced schools receive strong support from parents and students. The increasing number of students enrolling has made it impossible for many schools to meet the demand. Some secondary schools even have to conduct surveys to recruit 6th graders because the number of students applying is much higher than the quota.

* The advanced school model belongs to Ho Chi Minh City. So does Ho Chi Minh City have any basis to request to continue implementing this model?

- In the coming time, the Department of Education and Training will base on Clause 3, Article 9 of Decree No. 84/2024/ND-CP dated July 10, 2024 of the Government on piloting decentralization of state management in some areas to the Ho Chi Minh City government. Specifically, it stipulates: "Piloting innovation of operating mechanisms for some educational institutions under the management scope to improve the quality of education in the city".

Based on the above, on January 7, 2025, the Department of Education and Training submitted two documents to the City People's Committee, including: a document on the decision to promulgate a set of standards for schools implementing high-quality, advanced, regionally and internationally integrated education in Ho Chi Minh City; the second document requests the City People's Committee's approval for the Department of Education and Training to preside over advising the People's Committee to submit to the City People's Council a resolution regulating schools implementing high-quality, advanced, regionally and internationally integrated education in Ho Chi Minh City.

In particular, the Department of Education and Training has proposed the following transitional provisions: educational institutions that have been recognized as advanced schools will continue to implement and proactively review according to the new set of standards corresponding to each level of education.

In case educational institutions have been approved by the City People's Committee to implement advanced models but have not been recognized, they will continue to be evaluated according to the new set of standards.