Nearly 150 parents keep children home to protest school merger

149 students at Tien Son branch campus have not attended classes since the opening day, as parents object to the merger with the main school, located 6-7 km from their homes.

149 students from Tien Son branch campus, part of Quynh Tam Primary School in Quynh Tam commune, Nghe An province, have not attended classes since the opening day on 5/9. Their parents are protesting the proposed merger of the branch campus with the main school, which is located 6-7 km from their homes. Dau Viet Trieu, Headmaster of Quynh Tam Primary School, confirmed that on the morning of 11/9, only 17 of the 166 enrolled students attended the new school, with the majority remaining at home.

During a recent dialogue with Nguyen Van Khoa, Director of Nghe An Department of Education and Training, and commune leaders, many parents voiced concerns regarding the increased distance and the availability of boarding facilities. Nguyen Thi Thu, 32 years old, explained her predicament: "The old school was near our home, allowing my husband and me to easily pick up our three elementary school children. Now, the new school is 6-7 km away, and since both of us work far from home, we cannot always manage the commute." Parents emphasized that while they do not oppose improving educational quality, they require concrete plans for student transportation and boarding before transferring their children to the new campus.

Parents gather at Tien Son branch campus for a dialogue. *Duc Hung*

Director Khoa explained that the merger aims not only to reorganize school locations but primarily to ensure student safety and create better learning conditions. He described being "shocked" by the severely degraded state of the facilities at the Tien Son branch campus during an inspection. "A branch campus may be close to home, but if learning conditions are not guaranteed, changes are necessary," Khoa stated. The main Quynh Tam Primary School and its other branch campus are well-equipped, each featuring 32 classrooms, function rooms, and boarding areas, with the main campus recognized as a national standard level 1 school. Furthermore, in late August, the commune began construction on a road connecting Tien Son to hamlet 10, a project costing nearly 20 billion VND, to shorten travel time and facilitate student transport. To address parental concerns about distance, Nguyen Van Phu, Party Committee Secretary of Quynh Tam commune, announced plans to organize three daily bus trips for students and arrange boarding options. "Authorities are also considering supporting initial travel costs and providing textbooks and learning materials to ease family burdens," Phu added.

The Tien Son branch campus, part of Quynh Tam Primary School, was established in 1998 and has 5 classrooms. In the past academic year, it served 166 students across 5 classes. Its facilities have significantly degraded, posing safety risks. This condition, despite the campus being 6-7 km from the main school and having convenient transport, prompted Quynh Tam commune to propose the merger, a decision approved by the Department of Education and Training.

Despite these proposed solutions, many parents remain hesitant about sending their children back to school.