Why do students still go to extra classes despite the reduced workload program?

Assessment methods that force students to take extra classes

In fact, after 3 years of implementing the 2018 General Education Program, the situation of extra teaching and learning still exists. Many people wonder if the new program still focuses heavily on knowledge and scores, forcing students to take extra classes.

The goal of the 2018 General Education Program is to promote students' qualities and abilities, and reduce the amount of knowledge compared to the old program (2006). However, the assessment method still puts pressure on students in terms of achievements and scores.

Students leave a tutoring center in Ho Chi Minh City.

Specifically, the Ministry of Education and Training has issued many guiding circulars, including Circular 22 of 2021 regulating the assessment of secondary and high school students. To be awarded the title of "Excellent Student", students must have good training results throughout the school year and good academic results.

For students to achieve a good level, all subjects assessed by comments must be at a passing level; all subjects assessed by comments combined with assessment by scores must have a semester average score (abbreviated as GPA) and a yearly average score (GPA) of 6.5 points or higher. Of which, at least 6 subjects must have a GPA of 8.0 points or higher.

Compared to before, students only need to get high scores in 3 subjects: math, literature, English (one of the 3 subjects must have an average score of 8.0 or higher).

Thus, with Circular 22, students will have to study 3 more subjects to be eligible for the award of excellent student title.

This is one of many reasons contributing to the current uncontrollable situation of extra teaching and learning.

Some recommendations

As a teacher with many years of experience in the industry, I have some ideas to end extra teaching and learning as follows:

Firstly, it is necessary to change from the root, that is, from the 2018 General Education Program. The program needs to be concise to ensure it is suitable (requirements to be achieved) for general students and the student assessment (mid-term, final) does not focus heavily on scores.

Specifically, reduce the number of tests and assessments by scores for subjects assessed by comments combined with scores (at least 8 columns of scores/subject/year currently down to 2 columns - only final tests); research to increase the number of subjects assessed by comments, so that students do not need and do not have to take extra classes for scores or for competitive titles. Only then will extra teaching and learning automatically decline. Otherwise, the pressure of extra classes and the money for extra classes will still be a burden for parents and students.

Second, "where there is supply, there is demand", if extra classes are a real need of students who are slow learners or need to be nurtured to develop their abilities, the Ministry of Education and Training should direct schools to provide tutoring and nurturing. Schools should consider this a task that teachers must perform without charging students, and the Ministry of Education and Training should propose that the National Assembly provide appropriate funding for teachers to perform this task.

Ho Chi Minh City students study after school hours

Third, adding tutoring and extra learning activities to the list of conditional business lines is to create a legal corridor and manage them by law so that teachers have the conditions to participate in tutoring outside of school without fear and increase their income through legitimate labor. Adding tutoring and extra learning to the list of conditional business lines is consistent with real life and in accordance with the law.

Fourth, in case tutoring is not recognized as a conditional business, the State should have legal regulations, strictly prohibiting tutoring in all forms nationwide. Because the Ministry of Education and Training has issued Circular 17 to guide but still cannot control and prevent the rampant tutoring as it is today.

The current problem is that cultural teaching centers are licensed by the State. So why are teachers not licensed to open extra classes outside of school like doctors are allowed to open clinics? This needs to be reviewed to ensure fairness in extra teaching and learning activities.

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