Schools are not allowed to force students to participate in joint programs.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training requires schools not to include too many educational activities, to avoid overloading students, and not to force students to participate in joint programs.

Mr. Nguyen Bao Quoc, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, answers questions at a press conference regarding the joint program at high schools - Photo: TRONG NHAN

On the afternoon of December 18th, the Ho Chi Minh City Press Center held a press conference to provide information on the collaboration in organizing educational activities at general education institutions and school lunch programs.

Flexible and tailored to students' interests.

Mr. Ho Tan Minh, Chief of the Office of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that in addition to conducting lessons according to the plan of the 2018 General Education Program, schools use the remaining lessons to implement supplementary educational activities, including collaborative activities and programs.

The school may assign teachers who have not yet met their teaching load to free-of-charge club-style activities. Once the current teachers have met their teaching load, the school will survey and compile the needs of students and parents on a voluntary basis and organize activities according to students' needs and interests.

The principal develops a timeline for implementation that aligns with the planned curriculum for subjects, educational activities, and specific circumstances.

Mr. Minh emphasized that this activity plan and collaborative program must be approved by the school board and must be communicated to and agreed upon by parents on a voluntary basis.

"We shouldn't include too many educational activities in schools, overload students, or force them to participate," Mr. Minh said.

The scheduling needs to be flexible, adapting to the practical conditions of each school and the number of students enrolled in each class. The timetable should suit the needs of each student group, with reasonable time allocation throughout the day and week.

All fees must be publicly disclosed and transparent, with no unauthorized charges. In particular, in addition to school fees, schools should have free clubs so that students who are not enrolled in fee-based programs can participate, ensuring students' educational rights and fairness in education.

Students in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: NHU HUNG

No student is left behind.

Similarly, Nguyen Bao Quoc, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, emphasized that all activities must have the consent of parents.

Recently, the department has received complaints from several parents regarding the school's failure to publicly and fully disclose information about its joint programs. They fear their children will be left behind if they do not participate in some of these programs.

Mr. Quoc stated that the Department of Education and Training's viewpoint is "no student should be left behind." Accordingly, schools are required to make the most of available resources to organize cultural, sports , arts, STEM activities, etc., offering more choices for students, including those not participating in fee-based joint programs.

The Department has established six inspection teams to visit schools, Mr. Quoc said, adding that after the inspections, they will compile a report and issue a general reminder to the entire sector to ensure that regulations are implemented correctly, openly, and transparently.

Encourage parents to supervise mealtimes.

Regarding the management of school lunch programs, Mr. Ho Tan Minh stated that the Department of Education and Training has issued numerous documents requiring schools to establish regulations, as well as conducting awareness campaigns and training sessions.

The Department encourages parents to participate in monitoring school lunch programs through feedback and suggestion channels at the school.

Annually, schools are required to establish a school lunch monitoring committee with the participation of parents, overseeing the entire process from ingredient selection and preparation to meal organization.

The education sector also requires school principals to take full responsibility if violations occur, and to develop contingency plans for responding to food safety incidents.

The Department of Student Affairs is working closely with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Food Safety to strengthen regular and unscheduled inspections and reviews at educational institutions.

TRONG NHAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cac-truong-khong-duoc-ep-hoc-sinh-tham-gia-chuong-trinh-lien-ket-2025121815585559.htm