Reference books account for over 40%.

Holding the set of first-grade textbooks that he had to buy according to the school's list, Mr. Vu Van Nam (Hoang Mai, Hanoi ) said that in addition to the 9 books announced by the book supplier, there were 7 more books, costing 281,000 VND. With this "bundled" sales method, the number of supplementary reference books that parents like Mr. Nam had to "carry" accounted for more than 40% of the total number of books purchased. "Right after registering my child for first grade, the school informed parents about the textbook purchase. The list only listed the names of the books, not specifying which were textbooks and which were supplementary books, so I thought these were all mandatory purchases," Mr. Nam said.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai (Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City) had to buy a set of 22 books, compiled from various other sets, to register her child for 6th grade. This cost nearly 470,000 VND. However, the actual 6th grade textbook set only consists of 15 books, costing around 320,000 VND; the remaining 7 books are workbooks.

There are many sets of textbooks and reference books for students to choose from.

According to an announcement by the Vietnam Publishing and Educational Equipment Investment Joint Stock Company, the unit collaborating with the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education Publishing House to publish the "Wings of the Kite" textbook series, the set of 9 textbooks for grade 1 costs 199,000 VND. "The textbook set includes all subjects and educational activities according to the 2018 General Education Program," the company stated.

For many years now, as the school year approaches, schools have been taking over the role of book publishers by notifying parents to purchase textbooks for their children's studies. This practice occurs in schools across many provinces and cities. For example, the textbook list for 9th grade in the 2023-2024 school year at Phu Dien A Secondary School (Bac Tu Liem, Hanoi) consists of two parts, with 40 textbooks and workbooks, priced at 756,400 VND, not including 14 optional books. Looking at the school's list, parents understand that Part 1 includes mandatory books, while Part 2 includes optional books. Explaining this, Ms. Vu Thi Minh Ngan, Principal of Phu Dien A Secondary School, affirmed: The purchase of books is entirely voluntary on the part of parents; the school does not force anyone, even for textbooks.

Many others argue that while it's not wrong for schools to sell textbooks, it needs to be done openly and transparently, and importantly, without forcing parents or creating confusion between different books, leading parents to mistakenly believe that all textbooks are mandatory.

The workbook paradox

Parents are not only burdened by the weight of reference books, but also by the wastefulness associated with them. This issue has persisted for many years, sparking heated debates in the National Assembly. At the end of 2022, the Government Inspectorate recommended transferring the case to the Ministry of Public Security for investigation into suspected "group interests" between the Ministry of Education and Training and the Vietnam Education Publishing House regarding the printing and distribution of workbooks, which mislead students and parents into believing they are textbooks and cause billions of dong in wasted resources for families.

Workbooks do not enhance students' knowledge compared to textbooks, so for many years, Viet Duc High School (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) has been one of the few schools that does not include workbooks in its list of books sold to students at the beginning of the school year. “We advise parents not to buy workbooks to avoid waste when they are not used. During teaching, teachers will prepare appropriate worksheets according to students' abilities. If workbooks are really needed, teachers will inform parents,” shared Dr. Nguyen Boi Quynh, Principal of Viet Duc High School.

To reassure parents, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh, Director of the Secondary Education Department, Ministry of Education and Training, affirmed that the Ministry has strictly prohibited teachers from using exercises from reference books as test questions for students. However, according to education experts, the fact that schools are still selling reference books alongside textbooks before the 2023-2024 school year shows that the Ministry of Education and Training needs to be more decisive on this issue.

The practice of selling textbooks bundled with other items has become a serious problem in schools for many years. Therefore, the sale of reference books in schools should be banned. At a press conference on the activities of the police force in the first six months of the year, Major General Nguyen Van Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Criminal Investigation of Corruption, Economic Crimes, and Smuggling, Ministry of Public Security, said that the unit is investigating suspected irregularities in the distribution of textbooks, including reference books.

Directive No. 643/CT-BGDĐT dated June 10, 2022, of the Ministry of Education and Training on the use of textbooks and reference books in general education institutions, directs educational institutions not to encourage students, trainees, or parents to purchase publications outside the list of textbooks approved by the Ministry of Education and Training and selected by localities in any form; and not to compile lists and package sets of textbooks along with workbooks, reference books, or other materials outside the approved and selected list of textbooks for students and parents to purchase and use.

Text and photos: PHAM MAI  

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