Recent reporting has uncovered unlicensed full‑day homeschooling centres operating in Ho Chi Minh City. These centres attract parents who want an alternative to public schools, but the reality can be unsafe and illegal. Understanding the risks can protect both children and families.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has issued an urgent warning about pulling children out of formal schools for homeschooling. The department urged local authorities to review all school‑age children and to strictly handle illegal centres.

Reporters found that some centres run in tiny apartments. One classroom measured about 40 m² on the eighth floor, held only 18 seats, and had no visible emergency exits or fire‑safety equipment.

Tuition can be VND8.2 million (US$316) per month. Parents also pay VND50,000 (about $2) each day for lunch and a snack.

The centres do not have educational operating permits, and Vietnamese law does not recognise them as legitimate providers of general education. A representative admitted the business only holds a study‑abroad consulting licence, not an education permit.

A culture and social affairs official warned that arbitrarily withdrawing children from school and sending them to unlicensed facilities deprives them of their legal right to compulsory primary education. The official added that missing school records can create major legal barriers when children try to return to public schools.