Ho Chi Minh City has cut the number of public schools by more than 700, a drop of about 32% since July 1 2025. The change will affect many students, teachers and local officials, so understanding the steps is important.

The municipal Department of Education and Training says the total number of public educational institutions fell from 2,188 to 1,486, a reduction of 702 units or 32.08% as of July 1 2025. This cut is part of the city’s restructuring plan.

Preschools went from 706 to 438, a loss of 268 institutions. Primary schools dropped from 790 to 508, losing 282 schools. Lower secondary schools fell from 461 to 324, a decrease of 137, while 44 combined primary‑lower secondary schools were created to share facilities.

The number of school administrators fell from 5,874 to 3,129, a 46.7% decrease. Of the 2,745 eliminated management positions, 2,462 staff members were reassigned to classroom teaching according to their qualifications.

In vocational and continuing‑education, 41 institutions were merged, removing 15 units, which equals a 36.59% reduction. All merged schools have completed legal procedures such as appointing new managers and registering assets. By October 2026 the department began inspections, confirming that 90.71% of financial resources and assets have been transferred and that schools are operating stably.