In Vietnam’s bustling capital, a growing crisis is unfolding as Hanoi grapples with a severe shortage of public schools. With a shortfall of approximately 49 schools across eight densely populated districts—Ba Dinh, Cau Giay, Bac Tu Liem, Dong Da, Ha Dong, Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, and Hoang Mai—the city’s education system is under immense strain. Rapid urbanization and soaring population growth have outpaced urban planning, leaving thousands of families scrambling to secure spots for their children as enrollment season approaches.
Population Boom Outstrips Infrastructure
Hanoi, home to over 2.3 million students, is Vietnam’s largest educational hub, according to Tran The Cuong, director of the city’s Department of Education and Training. Each year, the student population swells by 40,000 to 50,000, necessitating the construction of 30 to 40 new schools—both public and private—to keep up with demand. Yet, despite efforts to renovate existing facilities and build new ones, the gap between supply and demand continues to widen, particularly in inner-city districts where space is scarce and residential developments proliferate. 
In the 2024-25 school year, only two new schools were added to Hanoi’s network, a drop in the bucket compared to the pressing need. At the high school level, the situation is especially dire. Of the 133,000 students who completed secondary school this year, only 81,000 secured places in public high schools—a stark contrast to the 72,000 spots available for 129,210 students in the previous year. This means that nearly 40% of secondary school graduates must seek alternatives, often turning to private institutions with higher fees or schools in distant areas.
Pre-school and kindergarten levels are equally overwhelmed. In Thanh Xuan District, for instance, public kindergartens offer just 3,067 enrollment spots for a school-age population of 19,883. Even with the addition of non-public facilities, only around 4,585 children can attend. Similarly, Cau Giay District anticipates over 13,000 children of pre-school age for the 2025-26 school year, yet its enrollment quota stands at a mere 5,834. These figures paint a grim picture of a system stretched to its breaking point.
A Dream Deferred for Many Families
For Hanoi’s residents, the shortage of public schools is more than a statistical problem—it’s a daily struggle. As enrollment deadlines loom, parents face sleepless nights and mounting stress while navigating a competitive and often unpredictable admissions process. Bui Thi Vien, a mother from Hoai Duc District, described the ordeal to a local outlet as akin to “playing lotteries.” She recounted how fluctuating benchmark scores at public high schools forced her to alter her child’s application to a different area in hopes of better odds. “Getting into a public school is already difficult” she said. “Wanting to get into a school you like and one that is prestigious is even more difficult.”
In Nam Tu Liem District, the rapid population surge has rendered newly built primary schools inadequate almost as soon as they open. A local authority representative explained that while school construction plans were based on population surveys at the time of planning, the subsequent boom in residents—driven by new residential developments—quickly outstripped capacity. One school, designed for 1,100 students, now faces a demand of nearly 1,700, forcing many children to attend schools far from home despite facilities being built right in front of their apartments.
The ripple effects are felt across all levels of education. High school admissions have become a battleground, with only 60 to 62% of secondary school graduates gaining entry to public institutions annually. The limited number of public high schools—just 117 citywide, fewer than at any other educational level—exacerbates the pressure on students and families. Many must travel long distances or pay steep tuition fees at private schools, losing access to subsidies typically offered by public institutions.
Planning Failures and Systemic Challenges
At the heart of Hanoi’s school shortage lies a deeper issue: urban planning that has failed to anticipate or adapt to demographic shifts. Tran Huy Anh, a member of the Hanoi Architects Association, pointed to flawed initial data as a root cause of the crisis. “Over the years, the number of public high schools has just accounted for 42% of the total schools at all levels” he said. This imbalance means that many residents are denied access to affordable, quality education, a problem compounded by the growing gap between supply and demand with each passing year.
National standards dictate specific land allocations for schools based on population size—approximately 310 students per 1,000 residents across various educational levels, with minimum land requirements of six square meters per student in inner-city areas and up to 15 in newly built suburban schools. A 2012 resolution by the Hanoi People’s Council further mandated that areas with 30,000 to 50,000 residents must have at least one public high school, capped at 45 classes with an average of 40 students each. Yet, as Anh noted, “improper planning and management” have made resolving the shortage—particularly at the upper secondary level—an uphill battle.
Critics also highlight a troubling irony: while land for school construction is deemed scarce, property developers continue to secure plots for residential and commercial projects. In districts like Hoang Mai, new housing complexes rise without corresponding educational infrastructure, despite regulations requiring developers to build schools. “From pre-schools to upper secondary schools, parents have to scramble to find places for their children” Anh observed, underscoring years of neglect that have allowed the crisis to fester as the population surges.
The Cost of Inaction
Beyond the immediate challenges faced by families, the school shortage poses broader risks to Hanoi’s social and economic fabric. Education is widely regarded as a cornerstone of sustainable development, a sentiment echoed by General Secretary To Lam of the Vietnam Communist Party in his article on lifelong learning. “We are living in an era where knowledge and intelligence help people maximize their potential, seize opportunities, and respond effectively to challenges for sustainable development” he wrote. Without sufficient schools—the most basic prerequisite for learning—Hanoi risks undermining its future workforce and civic progress.
The financial burden on families is another pressing concern. Public schools often provide subsidies and lower fees, making them a lifeline for low- and middle-income households. As more students are pushed toward private institutions or distant schools, these families face higher costs and logistical hurdles, deepening inequality. Moreover, overcrowded classrooms—common in districts where class sizes exceed regulated limits—can compromise the quality of education, hindering students’ academic and personal growth.
Searching for Solutions
Addressing Hanoi’s school shortage will require a multi-pronged approach, combining accelerated infrastructure development with reforms to urban planning and land allocation policies. Speeding up delayed school construction projects, as outlined in existing plans, is a critical first step. Equally important is enforcing regulations that compel property developers to build schools alongside residential projects, ensuring that new communities are not left without essential services.
Some experts advocate for innovative solutions, such as multi-use facilities or temporary modular classrooms, to bridge the gap while permanent schools are built. Others call for greater investment in teacher training and digital learning tools to maximize the capacity of existing institutions. At the policy level, revising population forecasts and integrating real-time data into planning processes could help Hanoi anticipate future growth more accurately.
Community engagement will also be key. Parents and local authorities must work together to identify priority areas for new schools and advocate for equitable access to education. While short-term fixes may alleviate some pressure, long-term success hinges on a commitment to systemic change—a recognition that education is not just a public service but a fundamental right.
As Hanoi navigates this complex challenge, the stakes could not be higher. With each academic year, thousands of children and their families pin their hopes on a system struggling to keep pace. Whether the city can transform this crisis into an opportunity for reform remains an open question, one that will shape the capital’s future for generations to come.
