Circular 29/2024/TT-BGDDT (Circular 29) of the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) regulating extra teaching and learning takes effect from February 14, 2025.
Circular 29 stipulates not to teach or take extra classes for primary school students; not to teach extra classes for students who have been organized by the school to teach 2 sessions/day... which has disrupted the lives of many families.
Currently, many schools from primary to secondary schools have given afternoon off and stopped boarding meals.
Ms. Kim Ung's family (Vinh Quynh, Thanh Tri, Hanoi) has 2 sons in grade 6 and grade 4. Both children are currently absent from extra classes in the afternoon. Now Ms. Kim Ung and her husband have to take advantage of their lunch break at work to pick up their child.
"My wife and I both work in the office all day. Now both children are absent from school, and the family has no one to look after them. In the past few days, I had to let you look after me. But, looking through the camera, my 2 sons are just engrossed in sitting at a computer playing games all afternoon" - Ms. Kim Ung said.
According to Ms. Kim Ung, the fact that both children are at home looking after each other still has many potential risks, even dangers. In the near future, when she cannot arrange where to send her child in the afternoon, she will have to consider hiring someone to look after her child.
Ms. Kim Thanh (Cau Giay) also shared: "If I only study in the morning and afternoon, I will have a lot of free time at home.
Parents who go to work cannot manage their children closely. My children have only been "holding" TV and computers for the past few days off. Yesterday, my parents scolded me so I went to my friend's house to play all afternoon. If their children go to school, parents will feel more secure. But in the near future, if we find an extra-curricular center, we will have the inconvenience of taking him from school to the extra-curricular center," said Ms. Thanh.
For parents whose children are about to take the entrance exam or university entrance exam, the worry is increasing. Ms. Xuan Nga (Phuong Mai, Hanoi) has a child in grade 12, preparing for the high school graduation exam.
Parents wonder: "Over the past 3 years, my child has studied 4 subjects: Math, Literature, English and Physics to prepare for the university entrance exam. After Circular 29, 3 of their children's extra-curricular teachers announced that they would not open classes outside of class hours. My child is about to take the exam, so I am very worried because now I have to find centers for my child to review.
If he does not take extra classes, he will have less opportunities to approach diverse and educational materials than his peers. When studying in an environment where everyone focuses and makes efforts, children will have a spirit of striving to achieve good results".
Families with children in senior high school such as grade 9 are most concerned about the amount of knowledge their children need when they stop attending extra classes. In recent years, the journey to grade 10 has always been considered a "war". To take the 10th grade exam, the learning schedule for grade 9 students is already very tight, due to the large amount of knowledge.
On groups for parents, a series of posts were posted looking for extracurricular centers and self-study materials.
Parents share their common concerns when their children do not attend extra classes, which has become a habit for many years.
Meanwhile, Mr. Thanh Trung (Me Tri, Hanoi) and his 7th grade child are also worried because the teacher at the school who stopped teaching extra classes collected tuition after school.
"My children are in a optional class but cannot keep up with their friends. Children study extra classes opened by the teacher in the class for extra training, the system has knowledge so as not to fall behind the others. In grade 8, grade 9, the program was heavier, I was afraid my child would lose the root knowledge.
Finding a new place for extra classes for my children takes time, not to mention the center location can be far from home, the price is not suitable, and I take time to catch up".
Families have "dizzying" changes in their daily lives, life is almost uprooted, causing many worries and worries.
However, many parents are also "confident" that reducing extra study time is also an opportunity for their children to develop other soft skills such as communication, critical thinking, creativity... But, to develop those soft skills, students still have to... study more.
