Anh Linh
Free School is a free, co-educational, primary and secondary school located in
District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Anh Linh caters to some of Ho Chi Minh
City's poorest and most disadvantaged children, whose families are unable to
support their children in school. Through the gift and power of
education, provided at no cost by Anh Linh Free School, students gain a quality
primary and secondary education to enable them to succeed in the future.
In 1990, the Vietnamese
government gave permission to the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame to
open a free school for some of the poorest children in Ho Chi Minh City. The
first 17 students were children of prostitutes and the building that housed the
first school was a former pigsty.
Growing from a temporary
facility built on a pigsty, Anh Linh boasts a modern, purpose-built campus
housing nearly 300 students today.
EDUCATION IN VIETNAM
In Vietnam, education is
free, but the costs of supplies, uniforms, books and meals are borne by the
families of students. This can amount from $15 to $25 per month. There are no
scholarships or sliding scales, and many families cannot afford to give up the
opportunity cost of extra wages earned by a child worker than to send their
children to school. As a result, many children have little hope for a future
that is anything different than continued economic and social deprivation.
THE ANH LINH DIFFERENCE
Many students who are
enrolled at Anh Linh have never attended school before. Anh Linh caters to
students of all abilities, regardless of age, and endeavors to ensure that all
children finish secondary school with the opportunity to attend high school and
obtain a high school diploma.
- Anh Linh is one of few schools in Vietnam that accepts children of all ages. It is not uncommon to find teenagers in a first grade class, or 20 year-olds in high school classes.
- Owing to the complex background of each student, Anh Linh takes steps to ensure the emotional and social wellbeing of its students when accepting student applications.
- Anh Linh strives to ensure that parents do not force their child to work long hours that would otherwise prevent their child from attending school.
- The admissions process is highly selective. Only those who are truly needy and in need of an education will be granted admission.
THE FUTURE
Because Anh Linh is
only permitted to accept students up to the 9th grade equivalent
(secondary school), Anh Linh’s graduates must apply to other public high
schools in order to complete high school and earn a high school diploma. For
many overage students, the opportunity to obtain a high school diploma is
severely limited. Additionally, the lack of legal documentation for many students
poses challenges to the post-secondary educational plans for many students.
Anh Linh is
currently in the preliminary stages of constructing a new high school building
that would enable Anh Linh to grant high school diplomas to all students
(grades 10 to 12). An estimated $180,000 will be needed to complete the high
school project, and fundraising efforts are ongoing to raise the needed amount.
