Ho Chi Minh City to subsidize swimming lessons for students

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has drafted a policy to provide a VND 700,000 (about $30) subsidy per student for a swimming course of up to 16 sessions, including a final assessment. The scheme also covers transportation costs of up to VND 20,000 per round‑trip for schools without on‑site pools. It targets pupils from grade 1 through 12 and participants in continuing education programs at both public and private institutions.

The city has more than 2.1 million students, of whom roughly 1.2 million (nearly 60 %) cannot swim. Only 182 of the 1,651 schools have swimming facilities, representing about 11 % of institutions. Officials say the subsidy will ensure equal access to safe swimming instruction, lessen the financial burden on families, and help reduce drowning, which accounts for over 2,000 child deaths annually in Vietnam.