Ho Chi Minh City's People's Committee proposes to merge and restructure the operational apparatus of 35 universities, colleges, vocational schools, and centers. This initiative is outlined in the draft plan for reorganizing public non-business units.

The merger and reorganization of these educational institutions are being carried out in line with the Ministry of Home Affairs' requirements for restructuring public non-business units in education and healthcare. This also aligns with the Government Steering Committee's plan for reorganizing public non-business units, state-owned enterprises, and administrative organizations.

At the university level, the city plans to maintain Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and Thu Dau Mot University as they currently are. Saigon University will be reorganized through a merger with Ba Ria - Vung Tau Pedagogical College, given their shared primary training field in pedagogy. The name Saigon University will be retained after the merger.

Following the reorganization, all three universities will be financially autonomous. They will also cover their recurrent expenditures, including salaries, allowances, public services, and asset maintenance.

Regarding colleges, TP HCM currently has 19 institutions. Among these, 14 colleges partially cover their recurrent expenditures, including:

The city will reorganize colleges and vocational schools, excluding five specific institutions: Vietnam - Singapore College; Vietnam - Korea Binh Duong College; Ba Ria - Vung Tau College of Technology and Engineering, Thu Duc College of Technology, and Ho Chi Minh City College of Architecture - Construction. Separately, the semi-public College of Technology and Business Administration will transition from a semi-public model to a financially autonomous public institution.

The remaining colleges and vocational schools are proposed to merge according to the following plan:

Additionally, the city plans to establish two new institutions: Saigontourist College of Tourism - Hospitality (upgraded from Saigontourist Vocational School of Tourism - Hospitality) and Ho Chi Minh City College of High-Tech Agriculture. The latter will be formed by merging Ho Chi Minh City Vocational School of Agricultural Engineering, Vocational School of Agriculture and Forestry, and the High-Tech Agricultural Vocational Education Center.

After this reorganization, TP HCM will have 19 colleges, eliminating public vocational schools. Public secondary, primary, preschool, or inter-level schools will largely remain as they are to serve the needs of residents and students, in accordance with guidelines from the Ministry of Education and Training. The city currently has over 2.5 million students and preschoolers across more than 3,500 schools.

If TP HCM's proposal is approved, the institutions will complete their mergers and reorganizations before November 30.

Saigon University, with its main campus in Cho Quan ward. *Photo: Quynh Tran*

Le Nguyen