Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son has just explained to the National Assembly a number of issues at the discussion session on the draft Law on Teachers.
Students take extra classes after school hours at a tutoring center in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: NHU HUNG
Regarding extra teaching by teachers, Minister Nguyen Kim Son stated that the ministry is not banning extra teaching but prohibiting extra teaching behaviors that violate teachers' ethics and professional principles. That is, prohibiting some coercive behaviors by teachers in this matter.
Dr. Nguyen Tung Lam (Vice President of Vietnam Association of Educational Psychology)
Suffering from not studying more
"Extra tutoring and extra learning are real needs of both students and teachers. The Ministry of Education and Training's policy of not banning teachers from giving extra tutoring is reasonable. However, from a parent's perspective, I suggest that state agencies should issue specific regulations on extra tutoring and extra learning.
In particular, teachers are not allowed to force students to take extra classes with them. If this situation occurs, teachers must face the most severe sanctions," Mr. Ngo Hong Cu, a parent in Ho Chi Minh City, proposed.
Mr. Cu said that last year, when his son was in 9th grade, he went through a "prolonged crisis" because he did not take extra classes with the math teacher in his regular class.
"Most of the students in my child's class take extra math lessons with this teacher. Only my child and one other student study elsewhere. When my child took the entrance exam to a specialized school, I was introduced to a teacher at the high school and my child has been taking lessons since the summer of 8th grade.
I thought it was normal. But it wasn't. My child was often called to the blackboard to answer questions, do exercises... Students can't avoid making mistakes. And every time he made a mistake, the teacher would ridicule him and make fun of him like: "You did the test like this and you want to get into a specialized school? You did it wrong on such an easy test and you still want to climb high. Do you think you can pass the exam to get into a specialized school?"
Mr. Cu also said: "Students who take extra classes with her often get very high test scores, my child often gets lower scores than his friends. Being ridiculed many times, low scores make him lose confidence, he asks his parents not to take the exam to enter the specialized 10th grade anymore.
In the end, my child had to choose to attend extra classes at both places in the hope of having peace. In cases like this, how will the teacher be handled? This needs to be included in the law for strict implementation," Mr. Cu suggested.
"Legitimate rights"
Talking to Tuoi Tre, many teachers said that it is better for teachers to teach extra classes to make a living than to have to sell goods online or drive technology vehicles... Teaching extra classes is a legitimate right of teachers.
"What makes public opinion angry are the negative issues of extra classes. That is, cutting down on lessons in regular classes and saving them for extra classes. Students who do not attend extra classes will not understand the lessons. Some teachers even "prepare" lessons in extra classes in advance so that students can get high scores on tests. Students who do not attend extra classes will get low scores.
And many other ways, including putting pressure on students in all aspects, with the purpose of forcing them to take extra classes with you. This is a key issue that needs to be thoroughly resolved," said the principal of a middle school in Ho Chi Minh City.
According to the principal above: "There should be specific regulations on sanctions for teachers who violate the law. From that regulation, state management agencies, specifically the Department of Education and Training, will strengthen inspection and examination to eliminate negative aspects of extra teaching and learning.
The management of extra-curricular teaching and learning outside of school cannot be assigned to the principal. We are already tired of managing the school, we no longer have the time or energy to keep an eye on things outside of school. If in the future the education sector continues to assign the management of extra-curricular teaching to the principal, the current "free-floating" situation will continue to recur," the principal affirmed.
Should ban extra tutoring for primary school students?
According to some educators, although it is impossible to ban extra teaching and learning in terms of practical needs, there should be limits and conditions. In particular, the law should clearly stipulate the ban on extra teaching for primary school students and preschool students preparing to enter grade 1.
In fact, the situation of students preparing to enter grade 1 having to go to school ahead of schedule is still very common, while according to regulations, students who have completed the full 5-year-old preschool program are eligible to enter grade 1. This mainly comes from the anxiety of parents.
But when it became popular, schools and teachers in charge of first grade also implicitly considered "children must be able to read and write fluently" before entering first grade as a necessary condition. This put pressure back on students and parents, making the situation of extra teaching and learning even worse.
"In the regulations on extra teaching and learning, extra teaching should be definitely banned in primary schools and there should be measures to restrict it in secondary schools," Dr. Nguyen Tung Lam, vice president of the Vietnam Association of Educational Psychology, expressed his opinion.
He believes that if primary school students have time and conditions, they should add activities to practice skills and physical training, instead of moving from one class to another to continue practicing literature and math. Basically, the current extra teaching and learning in primary schools is not based on real needs and is not really for the benefit of children.
Dr. Nguyen Tung Lam also believes that with the goal of education being to develop students' thinking and abilities instead of just cramming pure knowledge, the problem of extra teaching and learning as is happening needs to be corrected.
Because capacity and thinking are formed from many activities, not just sitting in class to solve exercises and improve scores. Reforming tests and exams is also a strong solution to prevent unnecessary extra teaching and learning as it is today.
"Teachers have the legitimate right to teach extra classes. But it needs to be clearly separated and regulated so that the exercise of that right does not affect the educational goals, health, psychology, and orientation of a child's capacity and qualities," said Dr. Nguyen Tung Lam.
There should be no mass tutoring in schools.
Students attend extra classes at a center in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: NH.HUNG
Mr. Dang Tu An - Director of the Vietnam Education Innovation Support Fund, former Director of the Department of Primary Education, Ministry of Education and Training - said that in schools today, extra tutoring should only be maintained for students with below-standard knowledge levels to ensure minimum requirements. This extra tutoring can be charged or free, but should not be allowed to be organized on a large scale.
According to Mr. An, the recently published draft circular on management of extra teaching and learning has more flexible regulations, not as restrictive as Circular 17 (currently in effect), which makes him concerned. Because when permitted by law, even with conditions attached, in a school there will still be two programs: regular classes and extra teaching. One of the two programs charges fees from parents.
Recognizing legal tutoring and extra learning in schools may put unnecessary pressure on students. According to current regulations, students only need to meet the requirements of the 2018 General Education Program. If we recognize tutoring for the purpose of enhancing knowledge and skills, it means that the tasks of schools and teachers with the 2018 Program have not been completed.
"From another perspective, I see that according to the old program, teaching was mainly about equipping knowledge, so extra teaching and learning was also about enhancing students' knowledge. With the 2018 Program, we have shifted to comprehensive teaching and learning, developing students' abilities and qualities.
Extra teaching and learning must also change direction accordingly, such as valuing experiential activities, improving physical fitness, art, teaching life skills to students, teaching educational technology, and especially improving their mental health.
Legalizing extra teaching and learning can affect the quality of the official teaching program because teachers will have to share their energy and enthusiasm for extra teaching, not really devoting themselves to official teaching hours.
Students, especially primary school students, are not healthy when forced to study in many different shifts during the day," Mr. An added.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/day-them-hoc-them-can-quy-dinh-cu-the-20241122084122567.htm
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