Choosing textbooks before the new school year

Teachers in Ba Dinh district (Hanoi) receive training on new textbooks. Photo: Minh Phong.

Mr. Ly Van Dien - Principal of Yen Do I Primary School (Phu Luong, Thai Nguyen) informed that in the 2024 - 2025 school year, the school will keep the same list of textbooks for grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 as this school year. This makes it easier for teachers to carry out teaching activities, spend more time improving their professional quality and lectures because they are already familiar with these textbooks. Particularly for grade 5, the professional groups and the school's Book Selection Council choose a "seamless" direction from grades 2; 3; 4 to grade 5, because the author of the book has intentionally designed a unified subject, program, knowledge... from lower to upper grades. This will also limit the lack or duplication of content, and teachers when teaching the unified book set will be able to fully develop the ideas of the author of the book. Besides, during the teaching process, teachers can still refer to books in other series to teach better.

Mr. Tran Van Thang (Hung Ha district, Thai Binh) has children in grades 2 and 4. He said that for his eldest child, it was the first year of implementing the 2018 General Education Program, so his family registered to buy new books from the school. For his second child, who is studying at the same school as his older brother and the teachers did not change the textbooks, the family still reused the textbooks of his eldest child, only registering to buy more exercise books. This saved the family some money while the new set of books was beautifully designed and printed, and his child used them very carefully so they were not damaged or torn.

From the school's side, Mr. Pham Huu Long - Principal of Van Hoa Primary School (Nong Cong District, Thanh Hoa) shared that although the textbooks have the same knowledge content and objectives, the book's progression will be different. The school's selection of textbooks complies with regulations such as Circular 27/2023, while also focusing on how to avoid waste for parents.

In recent years, one of the concerns of parents at the beginning of the school year is the shortage of textbooks, especially those belonging to the 2006 general education program that may no longer be published. This is not expected to happen this school year because all grades will study according to the new program and textbooks. Previously, from January 2024, the Ministry of Education and Training approved the list of textbooks for grades 5, 9, and 12 to be used from the 2024-2025 school year according to the new general education program and many localities have also signed the Decision to approve the list of textbooks for these grades to be used in general education institutions in the area from the 2024-2025 school year. The urgent task now is to complete the selection of textbooks suitable to the actual situation of the institution, from which publishers can take the initiative in the number of printed books to serve the teaching and learning needs in general schools.

According to Circular 27, the textbook selection process will be carried out in many steps, starting with teachers. In particular, the Ministry of Education and Training sets out 3 principles for textbook selection, including: Selecting textbooks from the list of textbooks approved by the Minister of Education and Training for stable use in educational institutions; each grade level selects a textbook for each subject and educational activity carried out in educational institutions; textbook selection must ensure democracy, objectivity, openness, transparency, and the interests of students.

Regarding textbook prices, the Ministry of Education and Training said that the 2023 Price Law (effective from July 1, 2024) stipulates that textbooks are on the list of goods whose prices are determined by the State and the Ministry of Education and Training determines the maximum price. Currently, the Ministry of Education and Training is coordinating with the Ministry of Finance and relevant agencies to study the maximum price of textbooks to be implemented from July 1, 2024. From now until before July 1, 2024, textbook price management will continue to be implemented according to the 2012 Price Law and related guiding documents.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/chon-sach-giao-khoa-truoc-them-nam-hoc-moi-10280674.html