The Ministry of Education and Training raises the issue of amending and perfecting the curriculum and textbooks as a positive sign.
In the decision Promulgating key tasks and solutions for the 2026-2027 school year of the education sector, one of the key tasks and solutions proposed by the Ministry is "Synchronously amending the education program and textbooks to meet new requirements".
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, teacher Tran Trung Hieu, a teacher at Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted, Nghe An, shared that he received the above content with a positive and respectful attitude.
According to Mr. Hieu, the 2018 General Education Program has gone through a long enough journey to review, evaluate and adjust. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training's proposal to amend and improve the program and textbooks is a positive signal, showing the spirit of receptiveness and responsibility to educational practice.
More importantly, we must dare to look directly at the inadequacies that have been revealed in practice, listen to the voices of teachers, students, parents and scientists; especially those who directly teach and are implementing the program every day.
The most important keyword of this decision is "synchronous amendment". If it is a synchronous amendment, please don't just amend textbooks. Because after 5 years of implementing the 2018 general education program, the inadequacies that teachers and students are facing are not only on the pages of books" - teacher Hieu said.
Suggesting 4 things to be amended
From many years of teaching experience, teacher Hieu pointed out 4 things that need to be amended this time.
First, it is necessary to review the organization of integrated subjects in secondary schools. The Natural Science subject including Physics, Chemistry, Biology is an idea that may have a basis in terms of curriculum, but when implemented, a paradox arises: A teacher has to teach all three fields with different depths of knowledge. The consequence is the situation of skewed teaching, patchwork teaching, even in some places teachers "avoid" parts that do not belong to their in-depth expertise.
History and Geography are similar. Two independent subjects are combined into a common subject, but the content and structure of textbooks are still fundamentally separate. To teach both History and Geography well, a team of teachers who are both knowledgeable about history and knowledgeable about geography, and fully meet the requirements for diplomas and certificates, is needed. This is not a simple problem.
If an integrated model makes it difficult for teachers to teach, difficult for students to learn, and difficult for schools to arrange human resources, then we need enough courage to fix it" - teacher Hieu frankly acknowledged.
Second, it is necessary to seriously assess two contents in high school: Experiential activities, career guidance and local education.
According to teacher Hieu, these 2 contents total 4 periods per week, occupying a very large amount of time. However, it is necessary to ask the question: Is it effectively using the valuable learning time of students? Should there not be periods that exist mainly because the program stipulates that they must exist?
Thirdly, according to Mr. Hieu, the differentiation and selection of subject combinations in grade 10 needs to be reviewed from regional reality.
Teacher Hieu pointed out the reality that in many mountainous, remote and isolated schools, the conditions of facilities and teaching staff do not allow for the full opening of combinations. Therefore, students are often not allowed to choose subjects based on their abilities, interests or career orientation, but must choose according to a very practical question: "Which subjects do our school have teachers teaching?" That is a paradox that needs to be removed.
Fourth, teacher Hieu proposed that the Ministry of Education and Training restore the correct position of the flag salute ceremony and class activities because a flag salute ceremony at the beginning of the week has its own meaning, and a class activity ceremony directly organized by the homeroom teacher also has its own function.
In the context that social networks are strongly impacting students' awareness, behavior and behavior, schools need more official space to educate discipline, responsibility, learning attitude, and behavior towards parents, teachers and friends. Teaching letters without teaching people, education cannot fulfill its mission.
Teacher Hieu emphasized the point of view that amending the 2018 General Education Program is not to deny what has been done, and certainly not to turn back to the past.
It is time for us to shift from the thinking of "protecting the program" to the thinking of "perfecting the program"; from explaining shortcomings to proactively overcoming shortcomings. Because ultimately, all education reforms must aim for the highest goal: for students, for teachers and for the future of Vietnamese education" - teacher Hieu emphasized.
