Schools have the ability to choose their own textbooks.

The Ministry of Education and Training is seeking comments on the draft Circular regulating the permission for schools to choose their own textbooks until December 20.

Lấy ý kiến dư luận về việc các trường được tự chọn sách giáo khoa. (Nguồn: VTC)

The Ministry of Education and Training announced a Circular to solicit public opinion on schools being allowed to choose their own textbooks. (Source: VTC)

The newly published draft Circular regulates the selection of textbooks in general education institutions and continuing education institutions.

The Circular applies to Primary schools, Secondary schools, High schools, Continuing Education - Vocational Education Centers and educational institutions implementing general education programs, continuing education programs at Secondary and High schools.

When issued, this Circular will replace Circular No. 25/2020/TT-BGDDT dated August 26, 2020 of the Minister of Education and Training regulating the selection of textbooks in general education institutions.

Different from the current regulations in Circular No. 25/2020/TT - BGDĐT, the textbook selection council is established by the People's Committee of the province or centrally-run city to assist the People's Committee of the province in selecting textbooks. The new draft stipulates: The textbook selection council of a general education institution is established by the principal of the general education institution or the director of the Center for Continuing Education, the director of the Center for Vocational Education - Continuing Education, to assist the head of the general education institution in organizing the selection of textbooks.

Each general education institution establishes a council. For general schools with multiple levels, each level establishes a council.

The school's textbook selection council includes: the head, deputy head; representative of the professional group; representative of teachers, representative of the parent-teacher association of the general education institution. People who have participated in compiling textbooks or participated in directing the compilation, publication, printing, and distribution of textbooks and people working at publishing houses and organizations with textbooks are not allowed to participate in the council.

The number of council members is an odd number, with a minimum of 11 people. For general education institutions with less than 10 classes, the minimum number of council members is 5 people.

The council's task is to organize the appraisal of minutes of meetings of professional groups; comments and evaluation forms of textbooks by teachers; and the list of textbooks selected by professional groups. From there, synthesize and propose to the head of the school the list of textbooks selected by professional groups after the appraisal meets the requirements.

The Chairman of the Council is responsible for the activities, planning and implementation of the Council's work plan. In addition, the Chairman of the Council is responsible for explaining the selection of textbooks of the institution.

Based on the results of the schools submitted by the Department of Education and Training, the Provincial People's Committee decides to approve the list of textbooks selected by local schools.

Provincial People's Committees must publish on mass media the list of approved books for use in schools before April 30 every year. During the use process, if there are any suggestions from teachers, students and parents, schools can propose to the Department or Department of Education and Training to adjust and supplement the list of books.

In the draft Circular, the Ministry of Education and Training also sets out three principles for selecting textbooks: First, selecting textbooks from the list of textbooks approved by the Minister of Education and Training for stable use in general education institutions; Second, each subject and educational activity implemented in general education institutions in each grade level selects a textbook; Third, the selection of textbooks must ensure democracy, objectivity, publicity and transparency.

The criteria for selecting textbooks are appropriate to the socio-economic characteristics of the locality and appropriate to the conditions of organizing teaching and learning at general education institutions.

The Ministry of Education and Training will seek comments on this draft until December 20, 2023.

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