At the regular Government press conference on the afternoon of April 6, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong informed about many secondary schools and high schools (high schools) teaching 2 sessions/day, instead of only applying to primary schools as at present.
Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong said that teaching 2 sessions/day is not a new thing in education. For many countries in the world, when there are enough conditions, organizing 2 teaching sessions/day is good.
Even in places where there are no conditions for teaching 2 sessions, activities for students are mainly educational activities. To organize teaching activities well, 2 sessions/day must combine 3 factors.
First, there is enough facilities. Here, each class has 1 classroom. The school is qualified for boarding students, staying at school and having lunch at school. There should be enough playgrounds, practice areas, physical education activities and other skills.
Second, have enough teachers.
Third, have a teaching program and organize enough activities in 2 sessions, suitable for the psychology of students.
For Vietnam, for a long time, we have organized 2 sessions/day for primary schools. The 2018 education program clearly stipulates teaching 2 sessions/day for primary school students, which is much more convenient.
Since 2010, the Ministry of Education and Training has issued a document guiding the organization of 2 sessions/day for high school and secondary school students, in the direction that places with conditions are encouraged. The 2018 general education program also clearly states that primary schools teach 2 sessions/day. As for junior high school and high school students who are qualified, they are encouraged to study 2 sessions/day
The goal of teaching 2 sessions/day is first of all to ensure the organization of general education programs. Second, reduce pressure on students, organize systematic regulations on teaching as well as other educational activities, form students with qualities, abilities and skills to comprehensively develop virtue, intelligence, physical strength, aesthetics...
Regarding the current situation, teaching 2 sessions/day, with primary schools nearly 100%; for secondary schools and high schools, up to this point, the number of schools and classes teaching 2 sessions/day has increased significantly compared to 10 years ago.
Through the survey, management and direction work shows that wherever there are good teaching sessions/day, the quality of comprehensive education of the school and that class is better...
However, Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong also mentioned some shortcomings in organizing the implementation of 2 teaching sessions/day. For example, there are places in the second session that teach culture, mainly knowledge that is not a skill, other contents should create pressure for students.
Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training is reviewing and re-evaluating this activity, on that basis, there are general guidelines nationwide, implemented at each level of education.
In particular, the second session must be on the voluntary basis of students and parents, while the first session will have the main school hours, because middle and high school students have different needs. Career orientation is formed, some students want to have more knowledge of digital transformation, some students want to supplement foreign languages...
If the school does not organize supplements, students can study in a suitable place, in accordance with regulations. The Ministry of Education and Training believes that creating the most favorable conditions for students and parents, reducing financial costs for students' families while still ensuring quality.
Up to this point, the new ministry is conducting a survey and research, and there has not been a statement that junior high and high school must study 2 sessions. The Ministry will soon have a document guiding the direction.
According to the survey, the requirement for junior high school and high school to study 2 sessions/day is not suitable because they do not meet the 3 minimum conditions to meet the needs of students.
In particular, the needs of diverse and highly differentiated secondary and high school students, and the school's own organization has not been able to meet them. The State must ensure good regular study, and secondary school study according to needs and management capacity according to that goal.
