Ho Chi Minh City parents worry as some schools face losing ‘international’ label

The review is being conducted under Government Decree No. 360/2026/ND-CP, which aims to improve transparency in international investment, streamline administrative procedures and address longstanding shortcomings in the national education system, particularly in the private sector, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training.

It covers all educational institutions in the city, focusing on the unauthorized use of terms such as ‘international,’ ‘national’ and ‘Vietnam’ in school names when they could mislead parents about an institution's legal status or government sponsorship, the department said.

Some private schools have used such terms to attract parents despite not meeting the relevant requirements, it added.

The department has instructed relevant agencies to compile a list of affected institutions and ask each to report its proposed course of action. 

Schools required to change their names must complete the procedures by September 17, 2027.

Parents question value of expensive education

A mother identified as L. Anh, whose sixth-grade child attends a multilevel school with ‘International’ in its name in the former District 7, said she had just paid nearly VND200 million (US$7,800) in tuition for the 2026-27 academic year when she learned of the review.

Her family chose the school five years ago, believing its name meant her child would receive an international education in a global learning environment.

However, she said the school's main curriculum was still Vietnam's 2018 General Education Program.

The school also offered more English lessons with foreign teachers, internationally oriented extracurricular activities and more flexible rules than public schools.

Another parent, Xuan Thanh, whose fourth-grade child attends a school branded as international in Phu Thuan Ward, said he felt he had paid for a brand image that did not fully match his expectations.

He was worried that losing the ‘international’ label could damage the school's reputation and affect his child's future academic prospects.

"I was a bit shocked. If my child's school is forced to change its name next year and loses the word 'international,' what will happen to its reputation? More importantly, when my child finishes primary school and applies to study abroad, could foreign schools rate the academic records lower or even refuse to accept them?" he said.

"I spent billions of dong [VND1 billion equals $39,000] not to have my child receive a diploma from an ordinary private school."

Transferring to another school is difficult for many families because curricula across education systems may not be compatible.

Yet continuing to pay high tuition raises another question: will the education remain worth the cost if the school loses its international label?

School names do not affect graduation recognition or diploma issuance

A representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training stressed that graduation recognition and diploma issuance are governed by regulations and do not depend on whether a school's name contains the word ‘international.’

The designation does not appear in schools' establishment approval documents and is used by the institutions themselves for promotional purposes.

The representative said the department was reviewing the situation to ensure compliance with Decree 360.

The department also advised parents not to panic or rush to transfer their children, as doing so could disrupt their education and affect their psychological well-being.

Education expert Nguyen Thi Ngoc Nga advised parents whose children attend schools required to change their names before September 17, 2027 to proactively discuss the matter with school management.

She said parents should ask schools to clarify their commitments regarding the transition timeline and teaching quality, and to consider adjusting tuition fees to reflect the actual value of the education provided after the ‘international’ label is dropped.

"Parents should not be swayed by impressive-sounding names or self-proclaimed 'international' labels on school gates. Instead, they should check the school's legal status, actual curriculum and accreditation status to avoid falling for exaggerated advertising claims," Nga said.