The Ministry said wrong, why does it continue?

A LOT OF DIRECTIONS AND CORRECTIONS

Last school year, when the press and public opinion reflected the situation of inserting voluntary subjects and activities into regular school hours in many places, the Ministry of Education and Training issued two documents (September and December 2023) requesting the Departments of Education and Training to review and strictly manage life skills education and extracurricular activities; if implemented, it is necessary to ensure the principle of voluntariness, and not to arrange study time between regular school hours.

Responding to Thanh Nien reporters, Mr. Thai Van Tai, Director of the Department of Primary Education (Ministry of Education and Training), affirmed: "Inserting subjects and voluntary educational activities into regular school hours is against regulations."

Director Thai Van Tai analyzed specifically: For primary schools, the 2018 General Education program stipulates teaching 2 sessions/day with the number of compulsory lessons according to the program being 7 lessons/day. Those are the main lessons that schools, no matter how they design, must teach all compulsory subjects, and students must be guaranteed equal learning. That is the task of the schools.

When teachers have completed 7 periods/day but still have not fulfilled all the teaching hour norms, schools must design additional activities and use their own resources to carry them out.

Inserting voluntary subjects and educational activities into regular school hours is against regulations.

Mr. Thai Van Tai (Director of Primary Education Department)

There are two situations in organizing these enhanced activities: One is that teachers who are within the quota must use up all the quota. The other is to teach enhanced learning according to the needs of the learners, for example, learning English with foreigners, enhancing art education, physical education, sports, etc. With the second enhanced learning situation, it must be designed according to the needs of each student, ensuring the principle of voluntariness, and must not be arranged by class unit and must be taught outside of regular school hours.

However, this situation continues this year with many sophisticated and distorted forms. Many readers' opinions sent to Thanh Nien Newspaper expect decisive and resolute direction from the education and training sector, not just issuing a corrective document and then leaving it up to the schools.

A representative of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training said that this school year the Department will continue to require the Departments of Education and Training to manage and discipline schools, and not let parents be upset because of joint teaching.

NEED FAIR AND CLEAR

A recent report by the National Assembly's Petition Committee also reflected voters and people's frustration when in the curriculum of primary school students, there is a situation where schools include subjects voluntarily registered for joint teaching programs into the main curriculum and collect fees. For example, the program to familiarize with English, English through the language of math - science... for first and second graders.

"Parents are forced to register because the subject is part of the students' regular school hours. Voters believe that this is a form of "extra teaching - extra learning", and more drastic and specific solutions are needed in the near future," the report stated.

Education expert Nguyen Quoc Vuong acknowledged that parents can send their children to study extra subjects or English according to foreign programs at centers outside of school which are more expensive, but bringing such subjects into public schools makes parents and public opinion "distrustful" of education. Therefore, the education sector needs to be fair in this issue, and the policy mechanism needs to clarify public-private cooperation.

"Has any school dared to try letting parents register their children to participate in "joint" lessons by secret ballot (without letting teachers and the school know whether their children participate or not)?", said Mr. Pham Van Cong, a teacher at Ky Dong Primary School (Hung Ha District, Thai Binh).

Timetable inserts voluntary and joint subjects, making parents angry

P CARE ABOUT THE "LOADING CAPACITY" OF LEARNERS

In terms of "appropriateness" for students, Associate Professor Tran Thanh Nam, Vice Principal of the University of Education (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), noted that even if tutoring and extra-curricular activities are voluntary and take place outside of regular school hours, it is necessary to protect students from being overloaded by expectations from society and adults regarding the amount of study; protect students from conflicts of interest that can lead to discrimination in regular classes, ensure that teachers do not neglect the regular curriculum to focus on tutoring, and ensure that students from families with difficult economic conditions still receive the necessary support within the framework of official school hours.

According to Associate Professor Tran Thanh Nam, extra classes are only truly effective when they are carried out with specific goals, within reach and not threatening. Letting children "drown their necks" in extra classes will reduce their creativity and increase their fear of learning.

Associate Professor Le Minh Nguyet, Head of the Department of Psychology and Education (Hanoi National University of Education), stated: The arrangement of timetables and study time for students must be ensured according to the principles of school health such as the "load capacity" of students, the ability to concentrate of students according to age characteristics, invisible time wasted due to moving study locations between classes...

According to Associate Professor Bui Thi An, a member of the 13th National Assembly, school leaders and principals must specify appropriate elective subjects for each grade and age. This requires careful discussion, discussion with school leaders, full consultation with parents, and reporting to the Department of Education and Training.

"I think students should not be made to study too much, there should be a level and program suitable for their age. Schools should orient the subjects that are most necessary and urgent for students, not letting students fall into a state of overload and pressure. There must be a balance so that students can develop comprehensively," Associate Professor Bui Thi An said.

Ministry of Education and Training requests surprise inspections and periodic assessments

In the document requesting to strengthen the management of life skills education activities and extracurricular activities sent to the Departments of Education and Training, the Ministry of Education and Training requested: Education management agencies and educational institutions closely coordinate with relevant departments, branches, organizations and individuals in the management of life skills education activities and extracurricular activities; from licensing operations, regular and unscheduled inspections, checks and assessments every year for educational institutions and units with life skills education activities and extracurricular activities.

The Ministry of Education and Training also requires the Departments of Education and Training to strictly manage the conditions for ensuring life skills education and extracurricular activities in terms of venue, quality of teachers, reporters, and trainers. At the same time, ensure that teaching is organized in accordance with the curriculum and documents approved by competent authorities.

Schools have increased supplementary teaching, improving students' skills as prescribed in the 2018 General Education Program, focusing on teaching theory combined with practice, and training life skills.

Review and have a plan to adjust if implementation is not in accordance with regulations.

Following Thanh Nien Newspaper's reflection, many schools in Hanoi held a meeting on the afternoon of October 16 to review and make plans to adjust if they were not implementing the regulations properly.

Previously, in the meeting to deploy the new school year, Mr. Dao Tan Ly, Head of the Primary Education Department (Hanoi Department of Education and Training), emphasized the requirement that schools absolutely must not insert inter-curricular teaching hours into the main curriculum. The main curriculum lessons must be implemented by the school, not cut or reduced. The school must assign teachers to fulfill the teaching hour quota. When the program has been fully implemented, the teacher's quota has been met, and there is still free time to organize extracurricular activities. The school principal is responsible for surveying and synthesizing the need to participate in extracurricular activities, and developing an implementation plan.

"Schools can offer a lot of content and programs, but don't let students choose all of them. Schools should recommend that students choose 1-2 topics that are within their ability, not putting pressure on students and causing difficulties for parents," Mr. Dao Tan Ly requested.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ep-hoc-tu-nguyen-lien-ket-bo-noi-sai-sao-van-tiep-dien-185241018195345084.htm