International School Saigon Pearl to close amid drop in applications

A representative of the school said the school would continue to operate until the last day of the current academic year, June 19. The last working day of the school would be a month after that, they said.

The school is seeing a drop in the number of applications, threatening the institution's future and its capability for development, the representative added.

"The foremost priority would be to support parents and students during the transitioning process," they said, adding that all ISSP students would be transferred to the International School Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) if parents allow. Tuition fees will remain the same for the first two years, and the school's staff will also receive support to find new jobs, either within Vietnam or in Asia.

Khanh An, whose child is studying in kindergarten at ISSP, said she received an email about the matter from the principal on Friday.

"All activities regarding my child's education have been stable over the last two years, so I and many others were shocked to hear the news," she said. While the school does provide tuition support in the first two years after transferring to ISHCMC, parents also have to take into account other costs, such as commute, An added.

"The school should have made the announcement earlier," she said.

ISSP, established in 2010, teaches kindergartners and primary school students under the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. The school has over 200 students, with a tuition fee at up to VND572 million ($22,528) a year.

Tuition fees at ISHCMC can go up to VND725 million a year.