HO CHI MINH CITY – A new proposal from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training (DOET) to standardize school dismissal times, preventing students from leaving campus before 4:30 PM, has ignited a city-wide debate among parents, educators, and students. The move, intended to create a more uniform schedule and align with the typical workday, has been met with a mix of both support and significant criticism, highlighting a growing tension between structured educational policies and the diverse needs of modern families.
The proposal was put forward with several key objectives in mind. According to officials, a standardized later dismissal time would help ease traffic congestion, which is often exacerbated by staggered school release times throughout the afternoon. Furthermore, it aims to provide a practical solution for working parents who often struggle to leave their jobs to pick up their children in the mid-afternoon. Proponents argue that the extended hours could be used productively for school-supervised extracurricular activities, homework sessions, or remedial classes, potentially reducing the reliance on private tutoring centers.
For many dual-income families, the news has been cautiously welcomed. These parents see the proposal as a way to ensure their children remain in a safe and supervised environment until the end of their own workday. "For us, it would be a relief," one parent commented on a local online forum. "I wouldn't have to stress about leaving a meeting early or paying extra for after-school care. Knowing my child is still at school, possibly doing sports or homework, is a huge advantage."
However, a substantial number of parents have voiced strong opposition, raising serious concerns about the potential negative impact on students' well-being and family life. Critics argue that a longer, mandatory school day could lead to increased stress, fatigue, and burnout among children, leaving them with little time for rest and unstructured play.
"A school day that ends at 4:30 PM means my child won't be home until after 5:00 PM, at best," a mother of two expressed in an interview. "After that, there's dinner, chores, and more homework. When is there time for them to just be a kid? When is there time for family?"
Another major point of contention is the proposal's impact on extracurricular activities that take place outside of school, such as specialized sports training, music lessons, or language classes, which traditionally begin in the late afternoon. Families fear that this standardized schedule would force their children to abandon these pursuits or push their schedules even later into the evening.
The debate has now moved beyond simple logistics, prompting a broader conversation about the ideal structure of a school day and the role of education in a child's overall development. As the Department of Education and Training gathers public feedback, it faces the challenge of balancing its goals of standardization and convenience with the pressing need to protect students' mental health and preserve precious family time in Vietnam's bustling economic hub.
