Circular 29/2024/TT-BGDDT on management of extra teaching and learning officially took effect from February 14, 2025. Although there are still many concerns about the regulation on tightening extra teaching and learning, the ultimate goal is to improve the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning in schools, help form the ability to self-study, and build a lifelong learning society.
Stop teaching and learning extra classes in schools
Since February 14, all schools across the country have stopped teaching and learning in schools. Some schools have even notified parents right after the end of the first semester that they will stop organizing afternoon classes. At Ninh Phong Secondary School (Hoa Lu City, Ninh Binh Province), before the Lunar New Year 2025, students still registered for afternoon classes at the school twice a week for Math, Literature, and English organized by the school, and the teachers were also the teachers of these subjects in their regular classes. However, at the parent meeting at the end of the first semester, the school informed students specifically that these extra classes would stop after Tet.
However, for students in many other places, the suspension of extra classes has led to other consequences such as stopping boarding meals, no one to pick up students at noon... It was noted that many schools in Thanh Tri district (Hanoi) such as Tu Hiep Secondary School, Van Dien Secondary School, Vinh Quynh Secondary School... have officially stopped extra teaching and learning in school since February 14.
Linh Dam Secondary School (Hoang Mai District, Hanoi) has just sent a notice to parents about adjusting school activities from February 14. Accordingly, all students in the school will be off from school to review and supplement their knowledge of cultural subjects outside of regular school hours. Particularly for 9th grade students who are preparing for the 10th grade entrance exam, the school will develop a free review plan for Math, Literature, and English, with a duration of 2 periods/subject/week. The timetable will be announced after the school receives the students' registration.
Meanwhile, at Hoang Mai Secondary School (Hoang Mai District, Hanoi), students of all grades received notices about the suspension of extra classes taught by subject teachers. Students who wish to register for extra English classes in conjunction with Language Link Center will continue to register for 2 periods/week. However, the difficulty is that they will miss the opportunity to pick up and drop off their children to school this time because the classes will be arranged during office hours, not all parents can pick up and drop off their children like that. This is also a concern of many parents who want to continue registering their children for school, but if the school does not organize boarding meals, it will be difficult to arrange to pick up and drop off their children several times a day, and they will have to ask for leave from extra classes.
Extracurricular tutoring still has its variations
Ms. Tran Thi Hai Yen, Principal of Tran Phu High School (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) said that before Circular 29 took effect, the school had thoroughly informed all teachers in the school of 3 no's: no organizing extra classes in school; no extra classes outside of school for students they teach; no organizing and managing extra classes outside of school. Along with that are 2 yes's: training excellent students to join the school team; enhancing knowledge training for students taking the graduation exam this year to achieve good results. The school will pay for these two contents according to internal spending regulations. According to Ms. Yen, although the payment level is not high, teachers support and enthusiastically participate.
Previously, many teachers organized extra classes and tutoring in violation of regulations. As reported by the People's Committee of Ngoc Khanh Ward (Ba Dinh District, Hanoi), from the beginning of the new school year until October 4, 2024, some teachers of Ngoc Khanh Primary School (Ba Dinh District, Hanoi) rented a location at Community Activity House No. 7 to open tutoring classes for students according to the wishes of parents in residential area No. 7, Ngoc Khanh Ward (most of the students are children in Ngoc Khanh village). Currently, the classes are no longer operating. Immediately after that, the school and local authorities took action, thoroughly informing 100% of the teaching staff to absolutely not teach extra classes in any form. If there are violations, they will be fully responsible to the leaders and receive disciplinary action according to regulations.
According to the provisions of Circular 29, the supervision of extra teaching and learning is not only the responsibility of the education sector or local authorities but also the supervision of the whole population, students and parents based on the issued regulations. In particular, the role of the principal in managing teachers who are teaching at school when participating in extra teaching outside of school.
However, in reality, there are still teachers who "bend the law" by instructing students they are teaching to take extra classes at cultural centers and the teacher in charge is still themselves! Ms. Phan Minh Hai (Cau Giay District, Hanoi) said that before Tet 2025, her child was still taking extra classes in Literature with the same teacher who taught this subject in class, at a rented house. After Tet, the class was suspended but many parents asked her to teach it again because the students were reviewing for the 9th grade exam, if they stopped, it would affect their learning results. Currently, the class location has been moved to a tutoring center near the school, the class is divided into 2 levels and there are some students from other classes and other schools participating, the number is nearly 30 students/class.
Meanwhile, Ms. HNB, a teacher in Duy Tien district, Ha Nam, has switched some extra classes to online because this is a rural area, making it difficult to connect with any nearby centers to teach even if students wish. “I am researching to complete the procedures for registering a tutoring business but have not completed it yet. I have also registered with the principal for the school to manage extra teaching and learning, and asked to teach extra classes at school for free for the 2 9th grade classes I am teaching, but it has not been approved yet. For now, for some students who wish to review for the 10th grade entrance exam, I will guide them online. The effectiveness cannot be as good as direct teaching, but there is not much time left, I will try to teach the students as much as possible,” Ms. B. shared.
Need to change perception from many sides
According to Mr. Do Thanh Thien, Principal of Vinh Thanh High School (Can Tho), in rural areas, extra classes are not too big of a problem. Schools do not organize extra classes outside of regular school hours and students are hardly under pressure from having to participate in too many learning activities. These new regulations do not cause too much disruption in school operations.
Similarly, for students in remote areas, getting them to attend classes regularly is a great effort by the school and teachers. There is almost no case of forcing them to take extra classes, even free classes, and consolidating knowledge for students without charging money also requires teachers to mobilize and thoroughly propagate from parents to students. Many teachers share that they have to spend their own money to buy books and school supplies for students, so paying for extra classes and tutoring almost never happens.
Returning to localities where the pressure of studying weighs heavily on not only students but also schools, teachers and parents, Mr. Phan Nhu Quynh - Principal of High School No. 1 in Muong Khuong District (Lao Cai Province) believes that in order for Circular 29 to truly come into life and be effective, there needs to be better policies to support teachers such as increasing investment in facilities, increasing income for teachers and organizing professional development programs. At the same time, there needs to be a flexible mechanism to suit each locality, especially in places with difficult socio-economic conditions.
Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Xuan Nhi, former Deputy Minister of Education and Training, commented that after 12 years since Circular No. 17/2012/TT-BGDDT (dated May 16, 2012) of the Ministry of Education and Training was issued to manage extra teaching and learning, this activity has now been regulated by a new Circular. This shows that the drafting agency has been pondering and calculating, but with an issue directly related to teachers, parents and millions of students, how to harmonize everything is not easy.
“I support the consistent viewpoint of Circular 29, which is to change the mindset from “if you can’t manage it, ban it” to “manage it to ensure quality”. This will force teachers to innovate teaching methods so that students can fully absorb knowledge during regular school hours, instead of having to attend extra classes outside. At the same time, schools need to create conditions for students to participate in many extracurricular activities, sports, and arts to ensure comprehensive development” - Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Xuan Nhi said.
Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong:
Towards an education with good values
What the Circular stipulates on extra teaching and learning is aiming for is for an education with good values. Therefore, although the first steps are difficult, I hope that there will be consensus and determination in implementing this Circular. The Ministry of Education and Training will closely work with localities, schools, and teachers in the implementation process.
The Ministry of Education and Training's viewpoint is to aim for schools that do not have extra classes or tutoring. Instead, after school hours, students have time and space to participate in recreational activities, sports, fine arts, music, etc. So that time in general schools is not only for learning knowledge but also for students to develop comprehensively in terms of personality, lifestyle, sense of responsibility and ability to integrate into society, and practice problem-solving skills. Teachers, educators and the whole society agree on this; students do not have to take too many extra classes, causing unnecessary pressure and fatigue, so that every day at school is a happy day.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chu Cam Tho, Head of Educational Research and Evaluation Department (Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, Ministry of Education and Training):
Integrity in Education
The ban on extra classes in schools will promote student support activities right in the classroom, increasing the effectiveness of school lessons. Schools must properly perform their duties and responsibilities. Students must be taught standard knowledge and meet the requirements. In cases where teachers need to teach extra classes, they will do so as an external service provider. Doing so will maintain the integrity of educational activities in schools.
Source: https://daidoanket.vn/minh-bach-hoat-dong-day-them-hoc-them-cong-bang-cho-ca-giao-vien-va-hoc-sinh-10299877.html
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