In Document No. 9561/VPCP-KGVX dated September 19, Politburo Member, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung requested the Ministry of Education and Training to urgently review, study, and consider adjusting the general education program in the direction of reducing overload.
This is a noteworthy requirement in the context of the issue of knowledge volume, teaching time and exam and examination pressure being repeatedly reflected by teachers, students and parents.
However, load reduction is not simply cutting some lessons, shortening a few chapters in textbooks or reducing some lessons. If the curriculum is shortened but the teaching method, testing and examination methods are still heavy, students will hardly be burdened.
Reality shows that learning pressure does not only come from the number of lessons but also starts from regular, periodic tests and extends to entrance exams and graduation exams.
When students have to memorize a lot of knowledge, complete a large amount of homework, while test requirements exceed the core knowledge and skills learned in class, learning pressure can increase, leading to the need for extra classes to meet test requirements. Therefore, program reduction needs to be carried out synchronously with innovation in testing, assessment and exams.
Any content that is no longer suitable, duplicated or exceeds the ability of the majority of students needs to be boldly adjusted. At the same time, tests and exams must also closely follow the core knowledge and skills that the program requires.
We cannot require teachers to teach in the direction of developing qualities and abilities, but the exam questions mainly test memory ability. It is also impossible to say reduce the load while students still have to study day and night and go to extra classes for fear that the exam questions will have parts that exceed the content learned in class.
One of the signs that the reduction of burden is substantive is whether students reduce homework time, reduce the pressure to study extra to meet test requirements, and also have more time to exercise, read books, experience and develop talents or not.
Reducing the burden does not mean lowering education standards. Basic knowledge of language, mathematics, science, foreign languages, technology, along with moral education, personality, patriotism and sense of responsibility must still be ensured.
What needs to be reduced are content that is too academic, overlapping, less practical and unnecessary pressure on students and teachers.
Reducing load is not to make students learn less mechanically, but to make learning time used more effectively: less overlapping content, less formal requirements and more time for understanding, practice and application.
The process of reviewing the curriculum, therefore, the most important thing is to fully listen to the opinions of the teachers directly in charge. Teachers themselves understand clearly which lessons are too long, which contents are difficult to implement, which requirements exceed the time limit, and which knowledge parts are creating more pressure for students.
The ultimate goal of overload reduction is not to make the program shorter on paper, but to help students learn moderately, understand more deeply and have conditions for comprehensive development.
Only when students reduce learning pressure, reduce stress from tests and exams, and have more joy at school, can program adjustments truly achieve their goals.
