Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh, Director of the Department of Secondary Education (Ministry of Education and Training) said that the 2005 Education Law stipulates that specialized schools only exist at the high school level. This content is also kept intact in the 2019 Education Law.
Meanwhile, the model of junior high school in specialized high schools is not covered by any legal regulations. However, due to historical reasons, there are still two schools, Tran Dai Nghia Specialized High School (HCMC) and Hanoi - Amsterdam Specialized High School, that have non-specialized junior high schools.
Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh, Director of Secondary Education Department (Ministry of Education and Training).
In 2023, the Ministry of Education and Training issued Circular 05 stipulating that specialized high schools will no longer have non-specialized classes. Thus, non-specialized junior high school classes in specialized high schools are violating regulations.
This Circular was issued 1 year ago, but the previous year's admission season for non-specialized classes was still implemented. The regulations stated in the Circular will be implemented from the next school year, 2024 - 2025.
"Maintaining or stopping enrollment in grade 6 of Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted and Tran Dai Nghia High School for the Gifted is not something the Ministry wants to allow or not allow, but the regulations that have been issued and come into effect must be implemented," said Mr. Thanh.
The Director also added that discovering and nurturing excellent students and creating resources for specialized high schools is essentially the task of all secondary schools, not just the task of a few high-quality secondary schools.
"In fact, some students who pass exams with high scores and win national, international and regional awards only study at normal schools in areas with undeveloped socio-economic conditions," said Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh.
In response to the wishes of parents, students and localities wishing to maintain the junior high school training system in specialized high schools, the Director of the Department of Secondary Education said that the specialized agencies of the Ministry of Education and Training will listen to the opinions of localities and advise the leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training to work with localities to find a way to resolve current difficulties.
The secondary school system of Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted (often referred to as "Ams2") was established in 2009 by the decision of the City People's Committee. Since then, the enrollment (planning, preliminary selection, exam organization, exam questions, grading...) into grade 6 at Amsterdam school has been organized by the Hanoi Department of Education and Training.
Every year, the Amsterdam school's 6th grade entrance exam recruits about 200 students. This is a notoriously stressful exam with extremely strict requirements right from the application round. After passing round 1, candidates continue to take the competency assessment test (round 2) with questions at a high level of application.
The Ministry of Education and Training requires stopping enrollment in grade 6 in specialized high schools. (Illustration photo)
At the end of January 2024, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training sent a document reporting to the Ministry of Education and Training on the enrollment of Hanoi - Amsterdam High School for the Gifted from the 2024-2025 school year, including the assessment of the training process of the secondary school system of this school. The Department proposed that the Ministry allow the continuation of the pilot model of implementing the secondary school system in the direction of high-level training and training of specialized students.
Responding to the proposal, the Ministry requested the Hanoi Department of Education and Training to direct the enrollment of students into specialized high schools in accordance with the provisions of the 2019 Education Law: "specialized schools are established at the high school level, there is no middle school level in specialized schools".
The Ministry of Education and Training stated that the secondary school enrollment model of Hanoi Amsterdam High School for the Gifted is no longer in accordance with regulations. Therefore, the Ministry requires that from this year onwards, the school will not be allowed to enroll sixth graders.
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