Strict regulations on foreign language proficiency certificates
The Minister of Education and Training issued Circular 16/2025/TT-BGDDT (effective from October 12, 2025) regulating the linkage of organizing foreign language proficiency certification exams.
According to the Circular, foreign language proficiency certificates are not certificates issued by the national education system. This also means that the approval of the exam organization linkage does not include the recognition of certificates equivalent to the 6-level Foreign Language proficiency framework for Vietnam to use in the national education system.
Officially abolish student suspension
Circular 19/2025/TT-BGDDT regulating rewards and discipline for students, effective from October 31. This Circular officially replaces Circular No. 08/TT on reward and discipline for students that has been issued and in effect for nearly 40 years.
According to the new regulations, the principle of handling students' violations must be based on respect, tolerance, objectivity, and no prejudice; at the same time, ensuring that it is suitable for their psychological, gender, and physical characteristics.
Accordingly, Article 13 of Circular 19/2025/TT-BGDDT stipulates disciplinary measures as follows:
Disciplinary measures for primary school students: Reminder and apology. Disciplinary measures for students other than primary school students include reminders; criticism and the requirement to write self-assessment reports.
Strengthening school counseling and social work
Along with disciplinary changes, the Ministry of Education and Training also issued Circular 18/2025/TT-BGDDT (effective from October 31, 2025) guiding school counseling and social work in schools.
Circular providing detailed instructions on the contents of consulting and supporting learners in many fields:
Learning: Support the determination of effective learning goals and methods.
Psychology and social relationships: Consulting on psychology, gender, life skills, friendship, family issues.
Career and employment: Providing career information, job search skills, startups...
Mr. Hoang Duc Minh, Director of the Department of Students, Ministry of Education and Training, said that Circular 18 clearly identifies the purpose of school counseling and social work as improving learners' capacity in preventing, identifying difficulties, solving and seeking appropriate assistance to overcome difficulties in learning, psychology and social relations.
At the same time, practice life skills, strengthen will and courage, improve physical and mental health; form appropriate attitude in social relationships, contributing to perfecting the personality of learners. The Circular also aims to strengthen coordination between schools, families, society and related organizations, units and individuals on school counseling and social work in schools.
"School counseling and social work are solutions to prevent and stop deviant and different behaviors of learners, while intervene and support the consequences of these behaviors. Therefore, doing a good job of school counseling and social work as stipulated in Circular 18 will contribute to effectively supporting the implementation, supplementing the reward and discipline work stipulated in Circular 19" - Mr. Minh said.
