The Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City on March 12 reported to the City People’s Committee on the situation of Apax Leaders English Centers in the city. According to the Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City, after receiving the guidance from Vice Chairman of the City People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc, the department has implemented many related tasks.
Specifically, after compiling the report on the activities of Apax Leaders English Centers in the city from the Departments of Education and Training in districts, towns, and Thu Duc City, the Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City has proposed solutions for these centers.
For the 39 Apax Leaders English Centers that have been suspended, with the suspension period ending on December 31, 2023, the department has issued a notice stating that they are not allowed to resume education activities after the suspension period for these centers. The reason is that until now, the Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City has not received a written request to resume education activities with specific supporting documents and reports.
The department will issue a decision to dissolve 26 centers. For the remaining 13 locations, the department will review and handle them in accordance with regulations after reviewing the relevant evidence regarding the legal use of the centers’ premises by Apax English Education Joint Stock Company and the actual evidence provided by the local management authorities.
Regarding Apax Leaders Language Centers 5 and 15: At the meeting on January 15, representatives of District 6 and Phu Nhuan District People’s Committees reported that many groups of parents regularly gathered to demand tuition fee refunds and caused disorder in the security of the areas where these 2 centers are located, and failed to ensure the safety of students participating in direct education at these 2 locations.
Apax English Education Joint Stock Company reported that it is “temporarily suspending activities and will switch to online learning from March 2024 to June 2024”. Regarding this matter, the Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City has not allowed Apax Leaders English Centers to organize online learning and the company needs to fulfill the registration documents in accordance with regulations (switching from direct learning to online learning).
Parents demanding tuition fees at an Apax Leaders Language Center
In the coming time, the Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City will continue to coordinate with the Department of Planning and Investment, the City Tax Department, the Social Insurance Agency, and relevant units to review legal documents and evaluate the conditions for the continued operation of the remaining Apax Leaders English Centers in the city.
The Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City will also encourage foreign language centers in the area to support the enrollment of students from Apax Leaders Language Centers with preferential tuition fees in case these centers do not meet the conditions for continued operation.
The Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City will submit to the City People’s Committee to direct the departments, boards, and districts, towns, and Thu Duc City, to continue to coordinate with the Department of Education and Training in resolving issues related to Apax Leaders English Centers to ensure security and order in the city.
Tax debts, late social insurance payments
According to the Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City, despite sending multiple documents and inviting investors of Apax Leaders English Centers to work together to urge the refund of tuition fees and guide them to operate in accordance with regulations, the units have continuously postponed and prolonged the time to report on the issues proposed by the Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City, and the investors have not fulfilled the schedule of refunding tuition fees as committed in previous reports.
In the meantime, according to information from the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department and the Ho Chi Minh City Social Insurance Agency, the branch of Apax English Education Joint Stock Company still owes taxes and has delayed payments of social insurance and health insurance for Vietnamese and foreign workers.
