The plan for reorganizing public kindergarten and general education schools was issued by the Hanoi People's Committee on 10/7.

For kindergarten, primary, and junior high levels, the city will establish multi-campus single-level school models, featuring a main school and nearby facilities or branches. It will also create multi-level schools, combining primary and junior high, or primary, junior high, and high school levels.

Following the reorganization, each kindergarten will have at least 30 classes, with no more than 35 children per class. The minimum number of classes for primary and junior high schools will be 40 and 45 respectively. The maximum student count will be 35 and 45 students, though in rural areas, these numbers will be 30 and 40.

If a school combines primary and junior high levels, it must have at least 50 classes.

The city emphasizes that after reorganization, each commune and ward must have at least one kindergarten, primary, and junior high school. Schools will not be merged if distances and travel conditions are unsuitable. The plan aims to reduce administrative units by at least 50% without decreasing the number of classes or impacting students' access to education, while also increasing the number of direct teaching staff.

Concurrently, the capital is temporarily halting the establishment of new schools from kindergarten to junior high. Approved or ongoing projects will continue to be implemented to supplement facilities and classrooms for the main schools and branches after reorganization.

For the high school level, the 124 existing schools will remain unchanged. Review and investment will continue to increase the number of classes, meeting student demand.

Additionally, Nguyen Dinh Chieu Primary and Junior High School will have a high school level added, reorganizing it into a multi-level general education school model with specialized classes.

Currently, Hanoi has approximately 2,300 public kindergarten and general education schools. According to the plan, school reorganization will be completed before 26/7. Personnel work, including the appointment of leaders and managers, will be finished before 10/8.

Students at Trung Vuong Junior High School, Hanoi, during recess in 5/2026. *Photo: Hoang Giang*

Hanoi's proposals are part of a national school reorganization plan. In guidance sent to localities in early July, the Ministry of Education and Training noted that many schools are small and fragmented, not aligning with development space and population size. The Ministry believes there is still room for further reorganization to shift from an "education management" mindset to "education development governance" and improve quality.

The Ministry emphasizes that this reorganization is linked to streamlining administrative units, reducing education management staff, and increasing direct teaching staff. Additionally, the Ministry is piloting a model of a main school with various branches and school sites, and consolidating multiple administrative units to form larger educational institutions.

The reorganization must align with local realities, ensuring stability and minimizing negative impacts on teaching and learning, the psychology of students, teachers, and parents. It specifically prohibits merging kindergartens with general education schools, general education schools with vocational education and continuing education centers, or specialized schools with mainstream schools.

On 10/7, the Government instructed localities to streamline and reduce public schools by approximately 30%, completing the reorganization before 30/8.

By Thanh Hang