Education
HCM City to close unlicensed daycare centres
  • | VietnamNet, dtinews | January 16, 2014 10:45 AM
 >>  Childcare becomes an issue in industrial zones
 >>  Daycare workers arrested for child abuse

HCM City authorities have pledged to close unlicensed daycare centres after recent child abuse cases came to light.

 

 A report to receive children of a family-based daycare centre in HCM City 

The decision is still under public scrutiny, as shown by a statement from Bui Thi Quy, an employee of Linh Trung Export Processing Zone, who said she sent her second child to a family-based daycare at a price of VND1-million (USD47.6) per month.

Nguyen Thi Nga, whose six-month old was sent to these baby-sitters only VND800,000 per month said, “Many of these baby-sitting services are quite good and hygienic, particularly when they are able to take care of children into the late afternoon. This is quite convenient for parents who work late, when public and many private daycares will only take the children during office hours."

Tran Thi Lai, who runs a family-based baby-sitting company, said that after giving birth she lost her job, so she stayed at home to take care of her child, then neighbours who knew about her situation asked her to take care of their children too.

A few days ago, local cadres said her business would have to be closed because it had no license. Despite informing her neighbours to take their children other places, they were quite insistent on her services.

After recent scams involving child abuse, the Ministry of Education and Training have made a statement that they understand parents’ demand and have been actively taking measures to improve the situation.

The ministry has been cooperating with other ministries and agencies to build a guiding document for the implementation of the prime minister’s decision on pre-school education development in the 2011-2015 period, with the focus on opening classes for children below 18 months.

According to the director of the HCM City Department of Education and Training, Nguyen Thi Kim Thanh, currently, HCM City has 870 pre-schools, including 419 public schools and 451 private schools.

Leave your comment on this story