Ministry of Education and Training requests Quang Ninh to temporarily suspend school mergers

The Ministry of Education and Training has just asked Quang Ninh to temporarily stop implementing plans to merge public schools.

A working delegation from the Ministry of Education and Training recently inspected and worked with the Department of Education and Training of Quang Ninh province on the merger of public schools in this locality.

Accordingly, since the end of October, implementing the policy of reorganizing the educational institution network, Quang Ninh province has carried out large-scale mergers of schools, aiming to streamline the apparatus and improve management efficiency. However, the rapid implementation process and wide scope have caused many problems to arise, affecting the quality of education and the stability of the team.

Many schools in Quang Ninh after merging have revealed many shortcomings.

PHOTO: NH

A representative of the General Education Department (Ministry of Education and Training) said that according to statistics, the whole province has reduced 280 out of 570 public educational institutions, equivalent to nearly 50%, in a short time. Particularly, the block of schools under the People's Committees at the commune level, 477 schools, has been rearranged to 212 schools, a reduction of more than half. At the secondary school level, there are places where 3-4 schools have been merged into one school, far exceeding the professional recommendations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

According to the assessment of the Ministry of Education and Training, the consequences of the merger led to a sudden increase in the size of schools, classes and school locations. A report by the Department of Education and Training of Quang Ninh province shows that there are 81 educational institutions in 36 communes and wards that exceed the regulations of Circular 13/2020 and Circular 23/2024. Of which, 13 schools have from 10 to 16 locations, 7 schools have over 70 classes, with Bai Chay Primary School having 95 classes and Ly Thuong Kiet Primary School having 97 classes, 2.5 times the permitted level.

Many schools in Quang Ninh increased the number of classes, exceeding regulations.

PHOTO: NH

The surplus of managers and staff occurs in many places, while the organizational structure is not stable, and the mobilization of teachers between schools faces many difficulties.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, not only is the school merger in Quang Ninh overloaded with staff, it also affects specific educational models, especially boarding and semi-boarding schools for ethnic minorities. Many schools after the merger no longer have enough semi-boarding students as prescribed in Circular 03/2023, leading to the loss of the right to enjoy support policies for ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Students in remote areas face more difficulties in traveling and accessing education.

Facilities are also a major bottleneck. Although the number of schools has decreased, the number of students, classes and boarding needs has increased, while many places have not invested in expanding classrooms, kitchens, toilets, dormitories or transportation. This situation poses a risk of overload and unsafe school activities.

In addition, the rapid merger has caused confusion and psychological instability for teachers, students and parents. Some schools have to organize teaching at many different locations, causing inconvenience in management and professional activities, affecting the quality of teaching.

Requires comprehensive impact assessment

Faced with the above shortcomings, the Ministry of Education and Training has issued a document requesting Quang Ninh province to temporarily suspend further merger plans to conduct a comprehensive impact assessment, including professional, social and financial aspects.

The Ministry of Education and Training requested Quang Ninh to temporarily suspend the implementation of the next merger plans to assess the overall impact.

PHOTO: NH

The Ministry of Education and Training also requested the province to restructure its personnel structure according to the provisions of Circulars 19/2023 and 20/2023, review the number of vice principals and staff, and adjust the payroll to suit the reality. At the same time, the Department of Education and Training was given the right to be flexible in recruiting and transferring inter-commune teachers to ensure that teaching and learning are not interrupted.

The Ministry of Education and Training requires reviewing and increasing investment in facilities and teaching equipment, especially in mountainous, rural and island areas; maintaining schools in difficult areas, avoiding mergers that cause loss of boarding and semi-boarding conditions for ethnic minority students.

In addition, the Ministry of Education and Training proposed to study a support mechanism for teachers affected by the merger, especially those who have to teach at many schools or specialized schools whose models have changed.

The assessment of the General Education Department also shows that the school merger in Quang Ninh, although originating from the goal of streamlining and modernizing the education system, has revealed many problems in organization and management. The request for a temporary suspension by the Ministry of Education and Training is considered a necessary step to evaluate and adjust policies, ensuring that the education reform process takes place more effectively, sustainably and humanely.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bo-gd-dt-yeu-cau-quang-ninh-tam-dung-sap-nhap-truong-hoc-185251105092553504.htm