On October 31, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee (VFF) of Hanoi City held a conference on social criticism of the draft Decision of the City People's Committee regulating extra teaching and learning in Hanoi City.
Commenting on the completion of the implementation mechanism, Dr. Nguyen Tien Dinh - former Deputy Minister of Home Affairs proposed to clarify the implementation mechanism for extra teaching and learning in schools (suitable for poor student guidance, excellent student and senior student development), which is paid by the budget and does not require registration or writing a petition for extra teaching outside of school.
Emphasizing the need for schools to closely inspect and supervise to avoid negative situations such as forcing students to take extra classes or the risk of teachers "cutting the main content of teaching to teach extra classes", Mr. Dinh suggested adding the responsibility of principals in inspecting and supervising to ensure that teachers teach enough, teach correctly, and have quality according to the program plan; do not teach through speakers or cut.
In addition, it is necessary to clearly identify the authority to grant business registration to organizations and individuals organizing extra classes outside of school for high school students, because this subject is under the management of the Department of Education and Training, while also having a great demand for extra classes.
From a practical perspective, Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Thi An - President of the City Intellectual Women's Association, Vice Chairwoman of the Economic Advisory Council (Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hanoi) - said that the underlying reason for the need for extra classes still exists is the difference between the main content of the course teaching and the exam requirements. In addition, the great pressure of exams, especially for grade 10 and university, along with the low income of teachers, makes tutoring an important source of life.
According to Ms. Bui Thi An, the most fundamental solution is to improve the quality of regular teaching, replacing the need for extra learning with flexible, free or supportive learning forms in school to gradually reduce the need for compulsory extra learning.
At the same time, the city needs to build a public database of licensed classes and extra-curricular centers, strengthen inspection and supervision combined with parents' feedback, and support and train teachers on new teaching methods to increase legitimate income for teachers, instead of depending on extra-curricular teaching.
Agreeing with the necessity of the decision, Mr. Dinh Hanh - Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council (Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hanoi) - emphasized that the draft has provisions to fundamentally change the new management model, in line with the transformation of the current socio-economic management mechanism.
Important changes include: Repealing regulations on licensing, converting regulations on collecting extra tuition fees to using state budget money and other legal sources of revenue (only paying for activities of supporting weak students and training excellent students), at the same time clarifying the responsibilities of authorities at the commune and ward levels, and adding administrative sanctions.
Mr. Dinh Hanh also recommended that the Government should soon issue a decree on this issue to improve the legality and should consider tutoring as a conditional business profession.
Concluding the conference, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hanoi Pham Anh Tuan affirmed that the decision, when issued, will be an important legal tool to specify Circular 29/2024/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training.
Mr. Pham Anh Tuan suggested that the drafting agency fully absorb social criticism to review and complete the draft dossier to make strict and scientific decisions before submitting it to the City People's Committee for consideration and promulgation.
