This policy is part of a document regulating back-to-school collections issued by the Department of Education and Training on 12/8.
The department requires all public schools to implement a standardized uniform consisting of dark blue pants or skirts and white shirts. Schools are not allowed to create their own uniforms or require accessories like ties, colored cuffs, collars, or shoulder patches.
"Schools are expressly prohibited from organizing any services for sewing or selling school uniforms," the department stated.
Khanh Hoa has 510 schools (grades 1-12) with approximately 440,000 students. According to Vo Hoan Hai, Director of the Department, this initiative aims to alleviate the financial strain on parents at the start of the school year.
"Students from any school can wear each other's uniforms; siblings can pass down uniforms even if they attend different schools," he added.
Previously, some schools in the area (formerly Ninh Thuan) had their own uniforms. Hai clarified that students at these schools can continue wearing their current uniforms and are not required to purchase new ones.
The department also instructed schools not to sell textbooks, notebooks, or school supplies. Instead, they should simply inform parents about necessary purchases. Schools are also prohibited from using the Parent-Teacher Association as a pretext to collect unauthorized fees.
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Khanh Hoa students during the 2025 high school graduation exam in June. Photo: Bui Toan |
Khanh Hoa students during the 2025 high school graduation exam in June. Photo: Bui Toan
Currently, most localities allow schools to decide their own uniforms, only prohibiting mandatory purchases or annual design changes.
Typically, a uniform includes short and long-sleeved shirts, pants or a skirt, and physical education attire. Some schools also require sweaters, winter coats, vests, and accessories like ties or bows. The average cost is between 500,000 and over one million VND per set, with higher-end options reaching two or three million VND.
Bui Toan
