The department disclosed that they had sent a letter inviting a representative from the school to a meeting on March 19, following the disruption that left nearly 1,400 students of AISVN at home on Monday, after a majority of teachers went on strike over delays in salary payments.

On Monday afternoon, several parents, whose children attend the school, lodged complaints with the local police against AISVN. They had been informed via an email from the school on the evening of March 17 that there were insufficient teachers to guarantee the education and safety of the students.

At a parent-teacher meeting on the morning of March 17, Nguyen Thi Ut Em, head of the school’s management board, revealed that 95 percent of the teachers had refused to work on Monday, citing unpaid salaries and insurance as their reasons. 

"We know that the teachers have been facing delayed payments for months," a parent commented. "The situation has escalated recently, and we're concerned for our children's education."

The school has acknowledged its financial struggles, admitting it has been unable to pay its teachers and staff on time. It even sought donations from parents to alleviate its financial crisis, a request that was turned down.

Some parents said the school's management had notified them that classes would resume on March 19, though they were warned of the possibility of future suspensions.

Established in 2006 in Nha Be District, AISVN serves over 1,400 students with a staff comprising 200 foreign teachers and 300 domestic employees. Offering education from kindergarten through 12th grade, it follows the International Baccalaureate programme.

AISVN is among the schools with the highest tuition fees in HCM City, ranging from VND280-350 million annually for kindergarteners to VND450-500 million for primary students, and VND600-725 million for middle and high school students.

In September of the previous year, several parents demanded the school repay tens of billions of Vietnamese dong they had loaned to the institution interest-free to secure free schooling for their children. However, the promised repayment was not fulfilled even after their children had finished school.