Director of Secondary Education Department: 'Some students go to extra classes just to avoid being left out with their friends'

In response to concerns from teachers, students, and parents about new regulations on extra teaching and learning, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thanh - Director of the Department of Secondary Education, Ministry of Education and Training, has just shared about this matter.

A formal class at Dich Vong Primary School ( Hanoi ) - Photo: NAM TRAN

On December 30, 2024, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) issued Circular No. 29 regulating extra teaching and learning with many new points, aiming to overcome the shortcomings in extra teaching and learning activities in the past.

Why does the Ministry of Education and Training "tighten" the group of students allowed to take extra classes at school?

Explaining that the new circular on extra teaching and learning has limited the group of students that schools can organize extra teaching and learning in, Mr. Thanh affirmed that extra teaching and learning is due to the needs of both students and teachers.

However, he said that through monitoring and understanding the reality, the ministry found that there are students who have the need and voluntarily take extra classes, but there are also situations where students, even though they do not want to, still have to take extra classes organized by their own teachers and schools.

"A number of students are having to go to extra classes just to avoid feeling isolated from their friends, to avoid feeling guilty towards their teachers, or even to avoid feeling unfamiliar with the tests," Mr. Thanh said.

According to him, general schools are currently applying the 2018 General Education Program. The Ministry of Education and Training has specified the number of periods/subject, and set out requirements for each subject that are suitable for students.

The Ministry also gives schools the autonomy to develop their own educational plans to ensure effectiveness, and teachers focus on innovating teaching methods to achieve the goal of the 2018 program, which is to develop students' capacity.

"So in principle, the school and teachers have followed the prescribed study hours to ensure students have the knowledge and meet the program's requirements," said Mr. Thanh.

According to the new circular, schools are not allowed to organize extra classes for primary school students, except for cases of training in arts, sports, and life skills training - Photo: NAM TRAN

The new point in this circular is that the Ministry of Education and Training stipulates that 3 groups of students are allowed to have extra classes and learning in school but are not allowed to collect money from them, including: students with unsatisfactory learning results, students selected by the school to train excellent students, students preparing for graduation exams and entrance exams.

Mr. Thanh said that with this regulation, some schools were concerned that they might get stuck. However, according to Mr. Thanh, this is something that schools can completely arrange teachers in charge of subjects in a reasonable way to reserve for exam review, helping students consolidate and summarize knowledge.

"Limiting the number of extra tutoring and learning subjects in schools to 3 groups is aimed at schools that do not have extra tutoring and learning. Instead, after school hours, students have time and space to participate in fun activities, sports, drawing, music...

I believe that those who work in the profession, are passionate about their profession, and the young generation will find this necessary," Mr. Thanh said.

"Do not prohibit teachers from teaching extra classes outside of school"

In response to the opinion that "tightening" extra classes in schools could lead to parents and teachers having to go to expensive centers with difficult travel, Mr. Thanh said that if students are not in need of extra classes in school, any student who wishes to take extra classes outside is completely voluntary.

In response to teachers' concerns that "not teaching extra classes will reduce income", according to Mr. Thanh, the circular does not prohibit teachers from teaching extra classes outside of school. He believes that if teachers make an effort, are good teachers, are truly dedicated, and bring value to students, there will certainly be no shortage of students seeking to learn.

"The new circular only stipulates that teachers assigned by schools to teach students in school are not allowed to teach those students for money outside, in order to limit the situation of teachers taking students out to study extra, cutting down on knowledge in class to teach extra," said Mr. Thanh.

At the same time, Mr. Thanh also said that it is not satisfactory to say that the school does not organize review sessions, the quality will decrease, or that it does not organize mass review sessions for all students/classes to achieve good scores.

According to him, when it is a national regulation, localities must implement it equally and fairly without worrying too much, placing too much emphasis on the issue and then arranging classes for students to practice for the exam in the morning, noon, afternoon, and evening.

"We need to overcome the situation where students go to school every day with a packed schedule from morning to night, without time to rest, self-study, absorb, and apply knowledge...", Mr. Thanh said.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vu-truong-giao-duc-trung-hoc-co-hoc-sinh-di-hoc-them-chi-nham-khong-lac-long-voi-ban-be-20250109141738451.htm