Vice Chairman of the National Assembly: Proposing the Ministry of Education and Training to further study the issue of extra teaching and learning

Giving comments on the Law on Teachers at the 7th Conference of full-time National Assembly deputies on the afternoon of March 25, delegate Hoang Van Cuong (Hanoi delegation) expressed concern about the provision prohibiting "forcing students to participate in extra classes in any form" in the draft law.

Delegate Hoang Van Cuong (Hanoi delegation) commented on the draft Law on Teachers at the conference.

PHOTO: GIA HAN

The Hanoi delegation said that there are two issues with this ban. First, in reality, forcing students to take extra classes is not necessarily bad. Because some teachers see that there are students who are very weak in their studies and cannot keep up with their classmates, they may ask them to stay after class to take extra classes and give them extra guidance.

In this situation, there are students who are not willing to stay, so sometimes it is necessary to force them to stay. "This behavior of forcing them to take extra classes is not bad at all, on the contrary, it is very humane and quite common with responsible teachers. So why should it be banned?", delegate Hoang Van Cuong stated and suggested that only forcing them to take extra classes for profit, with money collected, but if it is not for profit, it is very good, there is nothing to ban.

The second aspect that needs to be considered, according to delegate Hoang Van Cuong, is that many teachers organize extra classes and force students to attend classes, but students and their families submit voluntary applications. In fact, this is not voluntary but disguised coercion. Therefore, according to Mr. Cuong, if the regulation prohibits coercion, the situation of writing voluntary applications to attend extra classes will still occur.

Proposing a solution, Mr. Cuong said that we only need to ban paid tutoring for students who are directly teaching. "That means if you are directly teaching and you give paid tutoring, it must be banned. Even if it is voluntary, it is still disguised coercion," Mr. Cuong said.

Moderating the discussion session, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh said that the Ministry of Education and Training recently issued Circular 29 regulating extra teaching and learning. Ms. Thanh suggested that the Ministry of Education and Training soon have a report summarizing the actual implementation to stipulate the principles on this issue in the law and not be too detailed or specific.

"I suggest that the comrades of the Ministry of Education and Training further study the story of extra teaching and learning," said Ms. Thanh.

Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh concluded the working session.

PHOTO: GIA HAN

The issue of extra teaching and learning according to Circular 29 of the Ministry of Education and Training was also mentioned in the February report on the National Assembly's public petition work, which was commented on by the National Assembly Standing Committee at the 43rd session on the morning of March 10.

In its report, the National Assembly's Committee for Petitions and Supervision said that voters and people continue to worry about the implementation of regulations on extra teaching and learning. Therefore, the agency in charge of the National Assembly's petition work requested the Ministry of Education and Training to inspect and evaluate the implementation of regulations on extra teaching and learning to make adjustments if they are not appropriate.

Circular 29 of the Ministry of Education and Training, effective from February 14, stipulates that teachers are not allowed to teach extra classes outside of school for money to students they are assigned to teach by the school.

At the same time, no extra classes are organized for primary school students, except in the following cases: art training, physical education, and life skills training.

The Ministry of Education and Training also stipulates that extra teaching hours should not be arranged in between the regular curriculum schedule; and that extra teaching should not be done ahead of the subject curriculum distribution in the school's education plan.

The new regulation also allows teachers to participate in extra-curricular teaching, but they are not allowed to participate in the management and operation of extra-curricular teaching.

Article 11 of the draft law on prohibited acts stipulates that teachers are not allowed to force students to participate in extra classes in any form. The draft law on Teachers is expected to be approved by the National Assembly at its 9th session next May.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/pho-chu-tich-quoc-hoi-de-nghi-bo-gd-dt-nghien-cuu-them-chuyen-day-them-hoc-them-185250325160903615.htm