PARENTS' THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS
Although schools have conducted surveys and consulted parents before implementing, the effectiveness of these subjects linked with external partners - as the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training calls them "school programs" - is still unclear and even confusing to parents.
Recently, Thanh Nien Newspaper reporters have received many petitions, letters, and questions from parents about the timetable of primary school students. "If we don't register for subjects such as math thinking, learning math - science in English or English through software... then we don't know what our children will do at that time, will their friends just sit around doing nothing? But if we register for all the subjects, we have to pay a large amount of money each month. Primary school is exempted from tuition fees by the state, but if we complete all the voluntary subjects in the school program, the monthly payment of students is not small"; "We feel that now students studying the 2018 General Education Program (GDPT) have to study associated subjects, have to study the school program and pay extra money. But if we don't study these subjects, can we ensure the goals set out in the 2018 GDPT Program?"; How does the 2018 General Education Program help develop the qualities, thinking, and creativity of students and teachers, and what are the challenges?". These are the thoughts of many parents of primary school students in Ho Chi Minh City today.
" FILL IN THE BLANK" ?
The principal of a public primary school in the center of Ho Chi Minh City said that this school is fortunate to have a full range of spacious and modern facilities with enough classrooms, functional rooms, playgrounds, computers, wifi coverage, teaching equipment as well as a team of young teachers and staff who are knowledgeable about information technology to ensure the smooth implementation of the 2018 General Education Program. The school also has the consensus of parents in implementing educational plans as well as school programs (international computer science subjects, STEM, life skills, English through science math, English with foreigners, etc.).
Primary school timetable 2 sessions/day in which subjects according to the school program are arranged alternately with other subjects
However, this person admitted that "in schools where the physical facilities and teaching staff are not guaranteed, it is very difficult for the 2018 General Education Program to be effective". She analyzed that for example, if a primary school class has 50 - 53 students/class (primary school regulations stipulate 35 students/class), there is a lack of classrooms that cannot ensure 100% of students study 2 sessions/day, there is a lack of teachers for English, music, art, information technology... then it is very difficult for homeroom teachers to fulfill all the requirements in the textbooks, ensuring the goal of comprehensively developing the abilities, qualities, and strengths of students.
Some readers of Thanh Nien Newspaper believe that the voluntary subjects in the school program are a way to "fill in the blanks", filling up the 7 periods/day required for primary school according to the 2018 General Education Program. Why don't those periods allow students to review math, Vietnamese, and self-study like the previous 2006 Program? We raised this issue and the above principal raised 3 main ideas: First, the school program complements the 2018 General Education Program, helping students develop comprehensively, especially in special urban areas like Ho Chi Minh City, students need to be nurtured and improved in knowledge of English, information technology, STEM, etc.
Second, according to the 2018 General Education Program, grade 1 and 2 students study 25 periods/week; grade 3 students study 28 periods/week; grade 4 and 5 students study 30 periods/week. Primary school students will study 7 periods/day, 2 sessions/day. According to the above regulations, if they only study the required subjects in the program, more than 3 days, or more than 4 days/week is enough time. So what will students do in the remaining time, stay home or do?
Third, parents also asked why students are not organized to review subjects in class during the extra periods. But primary school teachers are also regulated to teach 23 periods/week, and if they teach more than one period, they are not considered overtime (if they want to do overtime, they must meet certain specific regulations), so who will pay the teachers?
Instead of linking, we need policies for teachers to teach themselves.
Many people have raised the question of whether teachers in schools can organize lesson plans and teach school programs instead of collaborating. The principal of a school in a central district of Ho Chi Minh City said: "With a team of well-trained teachers, we have the full ability to teach STEM, life skills or foreign languages, and sports and art clubs for students. With this method, the amount of money collected for each subject is also less than collaborating with an outside unit, parents can also be assured of the lesson plans and programs, and at the same time, teachers and staff can have additional income. However, we need mechanisms, policies to pave the way, and specific guidance from the Department of Education and Training or the Department of Education and Training for this. I think this is also a concern of many public educational institutions today."
C NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO HOW TO DO IT
The principal of another primary school in Thu Duc City (HCMC) said that HCMC is a dynamic city, leading in innovation and creativity in education, economy and other fields, so innovations in school programs also need to be viewed from a positive perspective and evaluated multi-dimensionally. According to this person, all school programs aim to complement the 2018 General Education Program, helping children develop foreign languages, thinking, experience... "In terms of policy, I think it is correct. However, it is necessary to focus on the path and methods of the units. If the units do not communicate so that parents understand the program, show parents the good points, the benefits of the program, as well as the effectiveness of the program and solicit public and transparent opinions during application, it is easy to encounter conflicts and waves of opposition," this person said.
Parents are concerned about the primary school schedule of 2 sessions/day in which subjects according to the school program are arranged alternately with other subjects.
This principal added: "Anything new is very likely to encounter controversy. The more new the policies and guidelines, the more careful the managers must be, listen to many sides, and stick to the educational goals. And we must frankly admit that the primary education goals now are different from 10 or 20 years ago." The reporter asked, "So if students with difficult economic conditions cannot participate in school programs, then do they not have the opportunity to access the comprehensive things that the school's program goals set out?" This person replied: "Usually, each educational institution always creates maximum conditions for students to access education in a fair manner. If students have really difficult circumstances, the school will let them study these subjects for free. The institutions also have flexible solutions. If students do not study these subjects, they are arranged to read books and study lessons in the library under the supervision of the librarian. Otherwise, if students are proactively refused by their parents to study these subjects for other reasons, that is the choice of each family." (continued)
There is no longer the concept of main and extracurricular.
Responding to the press, a leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training emphasized that from the 2024-2025 school year, the regulation on teaching 2 sessions/day according to the 2018 General Education Program at the entire primary level will no longer have the concept of formal and extracurricular activities within the duration of 2 sessions/day.
This person said that according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training, when implementing the 2018 General Education Program at the primary level, 100% of students will study 2 sessions/day to practice and develop their qualities and abilities according to the goals set out in the program. Therefore, primary schools must organize 2 sessions/day. The concept of session 1, session 2, the view that the morning is the main curriculum, the afternoon is the extracurricular program according to the 2006 General Education Program is no longer appropriate.
According to the leader of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, at the primary level, the school program is part of the 2-session/day teaching plan of each school. The school program complements and goes hand in hand with the implementation of the 2018 General Education Program, and cannot be separated if we want to best achieve the goals of the 2018 General Education Program. The participation of primary school students in the school program is the right of each student, helping them to form and develop their qualities and abilities, equipping them with the most necessary skills in information technology, foreign languages, life skills, etc. to not only meet the learning needs at the primary level but also at the next levels of education.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phai-hoc-mon-lien-ket-tu-nguyen-trong-chuong-trinh-giao-duc-moi-185241016193744415.htm
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