Saigon Star school unlicensed, not allowed to enroll, but unaware parents paid huge fees

The tuition they paid ranged from VND500 million to VND1.6 billion (US$19,650-62,870).

The city Department of Education and Training said Thursday the school in Thu Duc City, whose campus has been seized, was licensed by District 2 (now Thu Duc City) in January 2014 and granted permission to operate between 2015 and 2020.

But in 2021 the school became involved in legal disputes over land, resulting in the department refusing to renew the license.

In October 2023, to protect the interests of students currently enrolled at the school, authorities allowed it to continue functioning at its campus in Thanh My Loi Ward, Thu Duc City, until July 31, 2025, but prohibited new enrollment.

In October 2024 the department carried out a surprise inspection of the school and found various violations.

But it refused to cooperate, ignoring four summonses from the department.

The land on which the school was built in Thanh My Loi has been under dispute with a bank for many years.

According to a 2020 ruling by the District 2 People's Court, the school had to return the land to the bank.

But with the verdict not enforced, between May to July 2024 the Thu Duc City Civil Judgment Enforcement Department issued multiple notices to the school, warning the land would be confiscated and requiring it to inform teachers, parents and students about ceasing operations at the address.

But the parents of many students said they were unaware of all this until a confiscation notice was put up at the school gate on Nov. 18.

Since then they have been repeatedly contacting the school to seek a refund of fees they had paid in advance for three to five years, but have been unable to get through.

Students are currently on a winter break from Dec. 14 to Jan. 5, 2025.

Earlier this month the school announced an extended break until Feb. 13, saying it has plans to relocate to Hiep Binh Phuoc Ward also in Thu Duc City but 16 km away from its current location.

Some parents who visited the new site described it as a "deteriorated" abandoned preschool and unlikely to be ready by the stated time.

The department is persuading districts, nearby schools and other educational institutions to take in Saigon Star's students.

It has also urged schools to not pressure the students and help them quickly integrate and stabilize their studies.

Saigon Star has preschool and primary school education based on the International Primary Curriculum and charges annual fees of VND163-530 million.

It has around 200 students.