Vietnam: Is it mandatory to prepare a scheme for establishing a preschool? Who has the power to grant licenses to conduct educational operations for preschools?

Is it mandatory to prepare a scheme for establishing a preschool in Vietnam?

The preparation of a scheme for establishing a preschool brings many practical benefits:

- Clearly define the goals, mission, and vision for the preschool

- Prepare a detailed plan for the establishment and operation of the preschool

- Attract investment capital

- Evaluate the effectiveness of the school's operation

Under those roles, Vietnamese law also clearly stipulates in Article 3 Decree 46/2017/ND-CP regulating the regulatory requirements for establishment of public kindergartens, preschools or nursery schools; permission for establishment of non-public or private kindergartens, preschools or nursery schools as follows:

Regulatory requirements for establishment of public kindergartens, preschools or nursery schools; permission for establishment of non-public or private kindergartens, preschools or nursery schools

1. The proposal for establishment of a kindergarten, preschool or nursery school must be consistent with the local socio-economic and educational network development plan approved by the state regulatory authority.

2. The proposal for establishment of a kindergarten, preschool or nursery school must clearly define preschool objectives, missions, curriculum framework and outline; land, facilities, equipment and intended construction site; organization and personnel structure, financial and other resources; guidelines and strategies for construction and development.  

According to the above regulations, it is clear that to establish a preschool, the following conditions are required:

(1) There must be an appropriate establishment scheme approved by competent authorities.

(2) The establishment scheme must clearly define preschool objectives, missions, curriculum framework and outline;  

(3) The establishment scheme must clearly define land, facilities, equipment and intended construction site; organization and personnel structure, financial and other resources

Thus, to establish a preschool, there must be an appropriate establishment scheme approved by competent authorities. Therefore, preparing a scheme for establishing a preschool is mandatory.

Is it mandatory to prepare a scheme for establishing a preschool? Who has the power to grant licenses to conduct educational operations for preschools in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

Who has the power to grant licenses to conduct educational operations for preschools in Vietnam?

According to Clause 1, Article 6 of Decree 46/2017/ND-CP, the procedures and documentation requirements for educational operations of a kindergarten, preschool or nursery school are regulated as follows:

Procedures and documentation requirements for educational operations of a kindergarten, preschool or nursery school

1. The Head of the Division of Education and Training shall be accorded authority to grant the kindergarten, preschool or nursery school the license to conduct educational operations.

...

Thus, according to the regulations, the Head of the Division of Education and Training shall grant licenses to conduct educational operations for preschools in Vietnam.

Do the basic facilities for a preschool in Vietnam require a playground for children?

According to Article 6 of the Regulation on facilities standards for preschools, primary schools, lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools, and multi-level schools issued together with Circular 13/2020/TT-BGDDT regulating the minimum standards for preschools:

(1) Administration rooms

- Principal's office: has a working room and fully equipped office equipment as per current regulations;

- Vice Principal's office: fully equipped with office equipment as per current regulations;

- School office: ensures there is one room; fully equipped with office equipment as per current regulations;

- Staff room: ensures there is one room; equipped with cabinets for personal belongings;

- Security room: ensures there is one room; located near the school's entrance, with a convenient observation position;

- Sanitary area for teachers, staff: arranged according to functional room blocks, separate male and female restrooms. If the sanitary area is separate, it must be conveniently located for use without affecting the environment;

- Parking area for teachers, staff: with roofing and enough space for teachers and staff.

(2) Children nursing, caring and education rooms

- Child care, upbringing, and educational rooms

Ensures each group/class has one room, including functional areas:

Common activity area for organizing learning, playing, and eating activities;

Sleeping area (for preschool groups/classes, this can be combined with the common activity area);

The sanitary area is built within the child care, upbringing, and educational room, with partitions 1.20 meters high between the urinal and toilet bowl, arranged with 02 to 03 urinals for boys (or a urinal trough of at least 2.0 meters) and 02 to 03 squat toilets for girls, with a separate hand washing area for children at the standard of 08 children/sink, sanitary equipment is installed suitable for their age; for preschool children, there should be separate toilets for boys and girls; if the sanitary area is built separately, it must be connected to the child care, upbringing, and educational room by a traffic corridor, convenient for use and easy to observe;

Play porch: convenient for children's pick-up and activities in rainy or sunny weather; the porch should have a railing no less than 1.0 meter in height;

- Physical education and arts room: connected to the child care, upbringing, and educational room by a corridor. For schools with up to 14 groups/classes, ensure at least one room is used jointly for physical education and arts (multi-function room); for schools with more than 14 groups/classes, have at least one arts education room and one physical education room. For schools with five groups/classes or more, ensure at least one multi-function room;

- Separate playground: equipped with outdoor equipment and toys as per regulations.

(3) Catering rooms (applicable to schools that organize cooking)

- Kitchen: separate from other functional rooms; includes a pre-processing area, processing area, cooking area, and food distribution area; designed and organized according to a one-way process;

- Kitchen storage: separately divided into food storage and ingredient storage; with convenient and independent import and export areas and divided for different types of food; with food preservation equipment.

(4) Auxiliary rooms

- Meeting room: ensures there is one room; used for joint activities and as a professional meeting area for teachers outside of class time, equipped with all necessary equipment as per current regulations;

- Medical room: ensures there is one room; conveniently located for first aid, emergency care; equipped with essential medicines, first aid kits, and a sick bed;

- Storage room: ensures there is one room; for storing general equipment and learning materials for the school;

- Garden: includes a common playground and garden, grassy area; used for organizing play areas and outdoor stage. The yard is flat, non-slip, even, with green trees providing shade;

- Gate, fence: the school campus must be separated from the outside by a protective fence (solid wall or green fence), ensuring sturdiness and safety; the school gate must be solid and sturdy to mount the school name sign...

The basic facilities include: administration rooms; children nursing, caring and education rooms; catering rooms (applicable to schools that organize cooking); auxiliary rooms; and technical infrastructure.

Thus, when establishing a preschool, it is mandatory to have a garden that includes a common playground and garden, grassy area, and a separate playground equipped with outdoor equipment and toys.