This school is the most overcrowded in Ho Chi Minh City, according to an official from the Department of Education and Training. Current regulations stipulate a maximum of 45 classes for secondary schools, with a maximum of 45 students per class.

Pham Nguyen Truong Loc, Deputy Head of the Culture and Social Affairs Office of the An Phu ward People's Committee, explained that the area has five primary schools but only one secondary school. Consequently, all sixth-grade students converge on Nguyen Van Troi Secondary School.

"The school has converted all available function rooms – computer labs, science labs, and even the library have been downsized to create space for additional desks and chairs," Loc said. "Even the principal and vice-principal have given up their offices to make room for students."

According to Loc, An Phu borders several industrial parks. The student population primarily consists of children of factory workers and laborers who have migrated from other areas. The number of students increases annually due to this population influx. This year, Nguyen Van Troi Secondary School added seven new classes compared to last year.

The five primary schools in the area face a similar predicament. Classes have at least 48 students, some exceeding 52, despite the standard class size for primary schools being no more than 35.

An Phu Primary School, for example, has 71 classes but only 36 classrooms. To accommodate the two-session school day mandated by the 2018 general education program, the school rents classrooms in nearby buildings.

"This is a stopgap measure previously allowed by Binh Duong province. We are currently proposing that Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Education allow us to continue this practice to ensure two sessions a day for primary school students," Loc stated.

For the long term, the Culture and Social Affairs Office is advising the An Phu ward People's Committee to request higher authorities assess and invest in school construction and expansion if land is available after mergers. Desks, chairs, and teaching equipment need replacing due to wear and tear.

Students at Nguyen Van Troi Secondary School, An Phu ward, during an activity in May. Photo: Nguyen Van Troi Secondary School

Students at Nguyen Van Troi Secondary School, An Phu ward, during an activity in May. Photo: Nguyen Van Troi Secondary School

The strain on Ho Chi Minh City's school facilities after the merger was a key concern raised by Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong at the conference summarizing the previous school year and launching the new one on 27/8.

"A school with over 100 classes is severely overcrowded," Thuong stated, emphasizing that ensuring adequate school facilities for all students is a requirement outlined in Resolution 71 by the Politburo.

"Schools with over 100 classes like this are unacceptable. It undoubtedly affects the quality of education, disadvantages students, and creates difficulties for administrators," the Deputy Minister emphasized.

After the merger, Ho Chi Minh City became a mega educational hub with over 2.5 million students and nearly 3,600 schools. The city's education department acknowledges that the school network still struggles to meet the annually increasing demand for student places.

Le Nguyen