Vietnam: Is a lower secondary school allowed to receive sponsorships in kind?

Is a lower secondary school allowed to receive sponsorships in kind?

Pursuant to the provisions of Article 4 of Circular 16/2018/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam, sponsorship form is specified as follows:

Sponsorship form

1. Cash sponsorships: Sponsors may transfer a sum of money in the Vietnam dong or another foreign currency, diamonds, gems and precious metals directly to educational institutions or into accounts of educational institutions opened at state treasuries or commercial banks.

2. Sponsorships in kind: Sponsors may transfer to educational institutions such material objects as textbooks, notebooks, clothes, food, food supplies, materials, equipment, teaching aids, construction works and other valuable objects in order to satisfy actual needs of students and educational institutions.

As regards construction works transferred as a sponsorship, evaluation and approval of technical designs and total cost estimates, granting of construction permits, quality control of construction works, pre-acceptance testing, hand-over, warranty and insurance shall be conformable to existing legislative regulations on capital construction investment.

3. Non-material sponsorships: Sponsors may transfer or grant rights of free use of copyrights and rights of ownership of property under intellectual property protection; land use rights; contribution of labor days; provide training services, and those relating to sightseeing tours, surveys, seminars, or consultants, free of charge to educational institutions.

Therefore, secondary schools can receive three forms of sponsorship: cash sponsorship, in-kind sponsorship, or non-material sponsorship.

In conclusion, according to the above regulations, secondary schools are completely entitled to receive in-kind sponsorship.

Is a lower secondary school allowed to receive sponsorships in kind? (Image from the Internet)

Can secondary schools solicit sponsorships?

Pursuant to the provisions of Article 3 of Circular 16/2018/TT-BGDDT, details of sponsorships to be mobilized and received are as follows:

Details of sponsorships to be mobilized and received

1. Educational institutions shall be entitled to mobilize and receive sponsorships based on the following details:

a) Donating equipment and supplies as sponsorships for teaching and learning activities; donating equipment as sponsorship for scientific researches; carrying out refurbishment, repair and construction of facilities as sponsorships for educational activities carried out at educational institutions;

b) Giving support for educational, training and scientific research activities performed at educational institutions.

2. Sponsorships shall not be mobilized to pay teaching remunerations, expenses directly relating to school administrators, teachers, lecturers and staff members, school security and safety activities; remunerations for watching student’s vehicles; remunerations for maintenance of school or class hygiene; rewards to school administrators, teachers, staff members; other overheads of educational institutions.

Thus, secondary schools are allowed to solicit sponsorships but only for the following purposes:

(1) Donating equipment and supplies as sponsorships for teaching and learning activities; donating equipment as sponsorship for scientific researches; carrying out refurbishment, repair and construction of facilities as sponsorships for educational activities carried out at educational institutions;

(2) SGiving support for educational, training and scientific research activities performed at educational institutions.

*Note: Sponsorships shall not be mobilized to pay teaching remunerations, expenses directly relating to school administrators, teachers, lecturers and staff members, school security and safety activities; remunerations for watching student’s vehicles; remunerations for maintenance of school or class hygiene; rewards to school administrators, teachers, staff members; other overheads of educational institutions.

What principles must secondary schools adhere to when soliciting sponsorships?

Pursuant to the provisions of Article 2 of Circular 16/2018/TT-BGDDT, secondary schools must adhere to the following six principles when soliciting sponsorships:

[1] Voluntariness, transparency, openness, non-coercion, no stipulation of average sponsorship level, no minimum sponsorship stipulation, not taking advantage of educational sponsorship to force contributions.

[2] Soliciting, receiving, managing, and using sponsorships must be publicized and posted openly.

[3] Managing and using sponsorships must be economical, efficient, and serve the right purpose.

[4] Not accepting items that do not meet the purposes of use in the educational institution, hazardous, or dangerous items.

[5] Encouraging sponsors to directly organize the investment, construction, and procurement of equipment.

[6] Encouraging organizations and individuals to sponsor and support the development of educational career.