Assessing the Impact of Factors Governing Private General Education Schools: A Case Study of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examines the internal and external factors influencing governance effectiveness in private schools in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam under educational reform and increasing school autonomy. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 599 respondents among administrators, teachers, and staff members, through a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. Six groups of factors were examined: the legal environment and policies, socio-economic context, technology and digital transformation, financial resources and infrastructure, organizational culture, and leadership capacity. Data were analyzed using SPSS through techniques such as Cronbach’s alpha, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), descriptive statistics, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The results indicate that all six factors significantly affect school governance, with financial resources and infrastructure exerting the strongest influence. Legal frameworks and accountability mechanisms play a crucial role in ensuring transparency, while technology and digital transformation have emerged as important yet unevenly implemented drivers of governance effectiveness. Differences in perceptions among stakeholder groups were also identified, particularly regarding financial and socio-economic factors. The findings highlight the interrelated nature of governance factors and underscore the need for integrated and sustainable management strategies in private education.
Keywords
School governance, private general education schools, internal factors, external factors, Ho Chi Minh City
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
Arar, K., & Abu Nasra, M. (2020). Linking school-based management and school effectiveness: The influence of self-based management, motivation and effectiveness in the Arab education system in Israel. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 48(1), 186-204.
Baker, T., Campbell, S., & Ostroff, D. (2016). Independent school leadership: Heads, boards, and strategic thinking. Peabody Journal of Education, 91(5), 574-587.
Bui, N. V., & Ha, N. K. G. (2024). Postgraduate textbook on research methods in business: Updated SmartPLS. Finance Publishing House.
Cheng, Y. C., & Chan, M. T. (2000). Implementation of school-based management: A multi-perspective analysis of the case of Hong Kong. International Review of Education, 46(3-4), 205-232.
Chu, X. T. (2003). Current situation and proposed organizational and management mechanisms for non-public high schools in Ho Chi Minh City [City-level research project]. Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Dieudé, A., & Prøitz, T. S. (2024). School leaders’ autonomy in public and private school contexts: Blurring policy requirements. Nordic Studies in Education, 44(1), 1-23.
Do, D. T., & Le, C. L. (2024). Quality management in lower secondary schools: A case study in Ho Chi Minh City. Journal of Education, 24(11), 250-255.
Field, A. (2024). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Government of Vietnam. (2024, October 5). Decree No. 125/2024/NĐ-CP on conditions for investment and operation in the field of education.
Ho, S. T. (Ed.), Le, T. M. A., Le, T. K. A., Ly, H. H., Nguyen, T. K., Tran, T. N. P., Huynh, C. T. T., Danh, T., & Nguyen, T. T. V. (2021). Educational research methods. Education Publishing House.
Hoang, T. (2008). Data analysis with SPSS. Hong Duc Publishing House.
Le, V. K. (2019). State management of private upper secondary education in Ho Chi Minh City (Doctoral dissertation, National Academy of Public Administration).
Loh, C. M., Unda, L., Gong, Z., & Benati, K. (2021). Board effectiveness and school performance: A study of Australian independent schools. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 32(4), 650-673.
Luong, T. T. L., & My, G. S. (2025). Literature review and development orientation for school governance capacity of primary school principals in the context of educational reform. Journal of Education, 25(Special Issue 9), 376-380.
Ministry of Education and Training. (2020, September 15). Circular No. 32/2020/TT-BGDĐT promulgating the charter of lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools, and multi-level general education schools.
Ministry of Education and Training. (2021). Circular No. 40/2021/TT-BGDĐT on the organization and operation of private general education schools.
Mohrman, S. A., & Wohlstetter, P. (1994). School-based management: Organizing for high performance. Jossey-Bass.
National Assembly. (2019, June 14). Law on Education No. 43/2019/QH14.
Nguyen, T. T., & Ha, V. D. (2025). Development of educational environments in non-public upper secondary schools in Hai Phong from an organizational culture perspective. Journal of Education, 25(5), 242-247.
Nguyen, T. T., & Nguyen, X. A. (2019). Literature review on school governance. Vietnam Journal of Educational Sciences, 18(6), 55-59.
Nguyen, T. T. D., & Tran, T. K. N. (2023). Analysis of enrollment activities in private general education schools. Journal of Education, 22(22), 43-47.
Nguyen, V. C. (2019). Current situation of managing non-public upper secondary schools in Hanoi. Vietnam Journal of Educational Sciences, 15, 104-110.
Pham, T. K. (2025). School-based management: Evaluating the roles of principals, school councils, and management levels in Vietnamese general education. Journal of Education, 25(5), 255-260.
Politburo. (2025). Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW on breakthrough development in education and training. Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
Rowan, B., Ghimire, D. J., Schulz, P., & Sharma, U. (2024). The relevance of governance, external monitoring, and instructional quality to public-private school differences in student achievement in Nepal: An exploratory analysis. International Journal of Educational Development, 109, 103076.
Santibáñez, L., Abreu-Lastra, R., & O’Donoghue, J. L. (2014). School-based management effects: Resources or governance change? Evidence from Mexico. Economics of Education Review, 39, 97-109.
Tran, M. P. (2020). Governance of non-public lower secondary schools in Hanoi in the current context (Doctoral dissertation, National Academy of Education Management).
Truong, T. D., & Tran, Q. G. (2025). Factors influencing the leadership style of principals at private K-12 schools in Vietnam: A case study of Ho Chi Minh City. International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 8(5), 1551-1560. https://doi.org/10.53894/ijirss.v8i5.9177
Unda, L. A., Gong, Z., Benati, K., & Loh, C. M. (2023). Role expectations and shared accountability: A framework for school governance. Financial Accountability & Management, 39(4), 790-808.