HANOI -- Rumors abound on the true objectives of leading Vietnamese companies getting into the education business of late. These corporations come from industries unrelated to learning or training, spurring speculation that their moves may be politically related.
A dozen or so chalky white towers of the Vinhomes Times City condominium complex in central Hanoi are home to a shopping mall, a playground and even a hospital, as well as Vinschool, which sits on a big 2-hectare campus. It is run by real estate giant Vingroup, which entered the education business in 2013. Its three schools in Hanoi have an enrollment of 13,000 students from kindergarten to high school. Vingroup is set to open another school in Ho Chi Minh City and is also proposing a healthcare-focused college near Hanoi.
