Need for a mechanism to encourage the socialization of preschool education in industrial parks

Recently, the National Assembly discussed in the hall the Investment Policy for the National Target Program on modernization and improvement of the quality of education and training for the period 2026 - 2035.

Speaking in the hall, delegate Nguyen Hoang Bao Tran (HCMC National Assembly delegation) said that for many years, when talking about educational difficulties, we often mention remote areas, islands, and islands. However, a group of subjects that is less mentioned but faces difficulties is the children of workers in industrial parks and export processing zones.

We cannot let a large part of the children of the core workforce of the economy suffer from educational opportunities. Education fairness is not only a matter of mountainous areas - low-lying areas but also fairness right in the heart of industrial cities - delegate Nguyen Hoang Bao Tran emphasized.

In fact, over the years, it has been shown that investment in building educational facilities, especially preschool education for children of workers in industrial parks and export processing zones, is still very limited, not meeting large demand.

Speaking to Lao Dong newspaper, Ms. Do Hong Van - Deputy Head of the Labor Relations Department, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor said that most workers work far from home and have no relatives to support them in taking care of their children. When there is a shortage of kindergartens near workplaces, many families are forced to send their children back to their hometowns or send them to spontaneous private groups of children, posing many potential risks to care conditions.

"That makes them always worried, reduce their concentration in work, and some even have to quit their jobs to take care of their children. In particular, female workers suffer more disadvantages when they have to sacrifice career opportunities to prioritize their families, Ms. Van shared.

Not only affecting personal life, the shortage of kindergartens also directly affects businesses when the unemployment rate increases, labor productivity decreases, affecting production and business efficiency. According to Ms. Van, this is not only an issue for the education sector but also a social security problem, requiring the cooperation of the State, enterprises and trade unions.

Recently, many grassroots trade unions have proactively included the content of caring for workers' children in collective labor agreements. Some businesses implement effective models such as: Yazaki Company (Hai Phong) supports 200,000 VND/month in tuition fees for workers' children; PouYuen City has an annual scholarship fund; Canon Bac Ninh allows workers to take flexible leave.

These models help workers feel more secure in their work, businesses stabilize personnel, and at the same time enhance the role of the Trade Union organization.

Recently, the National Assembly passed Resolution 218/2025/QH15 on popularizing preschool education for preschool children aged 3-5 years, which stipulates the study of policies to encourage socialization of educational investment.

According to Ms. Do Hong Van, to promote the socialization of preschool education in industrial parks and export processing zones, it is necessary to focus on three groups of policies, including: Allocating compulsory land funds for kindergartens when planning industrial parks, exempting and reducing long-term land rent; Tax incentives, credit and encouraging businesses to allocate welfare funds, trade union funds to invest in schools for workers' children;

There is a mechanism to place orders, honor and communicate the models of "Enterprise kindergartens" and "Union kindergartens".

When there are enough synchronous policies and socializing preschool education, the budget burden will be reduced and practical benefits will be brought to millions of workers, Ms. Van affirmed.

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