The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has just issued a circular regulating extra teaching and learning, which will take effect from February 14. It includes many significant changes in the organization of extra teaching. The new circular adjusts in the direction of allowing teachers to teach their own students, allowing them to teach extra lessons, tutoring, etc., but clearly stipulates that they cannot collect money.
Regarding extra teaching and learning in schools, the new Circular clearly stipulates 3 subjects eligible for extra teaching, including: Students whose final semester results are not satisfactory; students selected by the school to train excellent students; final year students who voluntarily register to review for entrance exams and graduation exams according to the school's education plan. This extra teaching and learning activity is also not allowed to collect money.
A principal of a secondary school in Ho Chi Minh City said that every year, after the end of the school program, the school will organize about 4 weeks of review for 9th grade students, who voluntarily register to study and pay a fee.
"The time to organize extra teaching and learning for senior students is after the end of the school year, so when teachers teach during this time, they need to be paid extra. However, according to the new Circular, it is not allowed to collect money from this group of students, then the school will not have the budget to pay the teachers, and there is currently no document guiding the allocation of funds for schools to pay for teachers to review for exams" - this person is concerned.
A junior high school teacher in Hanoi also expressed concerns about implementing regulations related to extra teaching and learning in Circular 29/2024.
"With the review for final year students, students register to study voluntarily and pay a fee. Part of the tuition fee will be paid to teachers so that they can have more income. If tuition fees are not allowed, it will be difficult to maintain and organize the review because anyone who works needs to be paid a fair wage for the labor they put in," this teacher expressed.
Ms. Quynh Hoa, a parent of a 9th grader in Thanh Hoa province, shared that for many years, her family has registered her child for afternoon classes at the school. The tuition fee is much cheaper than at an outside center, not to mention, the family can rest assured about the quality of teaching when the child is studying with the same teachers in the classroom.
"For many families of manual laborers and those working in companies, it is very difficult to manage their children in the afternoon. Sending children to extra classes at school is both to help them gain knowledge and for the school to control them, to prevent them from playing video games, hanging out, and hanging around" - Ms. Hoa said, adding that after February 14, if schools stop organizing extra classes in the afternoon, she will have to find a center for her children to go to.
"It is very difficult to find a reputable place for your child to study during the exam preparation period. Not to mention, tuition fees are also a concern for the family," said Ms. Hoa.
Mr. Tong Phuoc Loc - Head of the Department of Organization and Personnel, Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City - said that the Ministry of Education and Training has issued Circular 29/2024 on extra teaching and learning. Specialized departments are advising the Board of Directors of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City to issue a document guiding the implementation of the above regulations. However, currently, extra teaching in schools is stuck in review activities for final year students (grades 9 and 12).
Mr. Nguyen Bao Quoc - Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City said that it is inevitable that managers and teachers have concerns about the new regulations on extra teaching and learning, but they need to understand them in order to properly implement the regulations.
However, the Department of Education and Training of districts and Thu Duc City are actively propagating and integrating instructions on extra teaching and learning in accordance with the spirit of Circular 29, ensuring that there is no illegal extra teaching.
