From February, cars are allowed to change their grilles and replace their headlight assemblies, schools can choose their textbooks, and the grading system for junior high school graduation has been abolished.
The car had its headlights and grille modified.
Circular 43/2023 of the Ministry of Transport, effective from February 15th, stipulates nine cases of changing details on motor vehicles that are not considered modifications, including headlights and radiator grilles. Vehicle owners are allowed to replace the front headlight assembly with a certified or declared compliant assembly without having to modify the vehicle's structure to ensure installation.
In addition, vehicle owners can replace the bulbs in the front headlight assembly with other bulbs of equivalent power consumption without having to modify the structure of the headlight assembly. Owners can remove the current headlight assembly and replace it with a new one that has been certified as compliant by the relevant regulatory authority, or install separate fog lights.
Changes to the styling of certain body parts, including the front grille, spoiler, passenger door, tailgate structure, and the addition of a cargo bed cover, but without increasing the height, dimensions, running boards, or exhaust pipe cover, are not considered vehicle modifications.
Vehicle inspection center in Hanoi , December 2022. Photo: Ngoc Thanh
Schools can choose their own textbooks.
A circular from the Ministry of Education and Training, effective from February 12th, empowers schools to choose textbooks instead of the provincial People's Committees as currently. The textbook selection council of each school, established by the principal, includes: the principal, vice-principal, heads of subject departments, a representative of the teaching staff, and a representative of the parent committee. The number of members is an odd number, with a minimum of 11 people. Schools with fewer than 10 classes will have a minimum of 5 members on the council.
All teachers of each subject will participate in selecting the textbook for that subject. Teachers will research the available books and write reviews and evaluations. Then, the head of the subject department will meet with the teachers to discuss and vote on one textbook for each subject. The chosen textbook must receive votes from at least 50% of the teachers. If this percentage is not met, the subject department must discuss, analyze, and vote again.
The textbooks offered for selection are from the list approved by the Ministry of Education and Training. Currently, there are three sets of textbooks under the new curriculum: Connecting Knowledge with Life, Creative Horizons, and Kite.
Students in Hanoi register for the 10th grade entrance exam at the Tran Duy Hung Secondary School exam center, Cau Giay district, Hanoi, June 2023. Photo: Tung Dinh
Abolish junior high school graduation rankings.
Circular 31/2023 of the Ministry of Education and Training, effective from February 15th, stipulates that from the 2024-2025 school year, students will be awarded a junior high school diploma upon completing the 9th grade learning and training program, with no more than 45 absences per year. The diploma will no longer include classifications such as excellent, good, or average as it currently does.
The Department of Education and Training of the province or city will decide the number of graduation examinations in the locality, but not more than twice a year. The first examination must be conducted immediately after the end of the school year, and the second examination (if any) must be completed before the start of the new school year.
Currently, graduating from lower secondary school is a mandatory requirement for students to take the entrance exam for 10th grade in upper secondary school. According to many teachers, provinces and cities select students for public 10th grade based on exam scores or academic transcripts, so the ranking recorded on the lower secondary school graduation certificate is unnecessary.
Some cars are exempt from road usage fees.
Government Decree 90/2023, effective from February 1st, stipulates that road usage fees are waived for ambulances; fire trucks; specialized vehicles for funeral services; and specialized vehicles serving national defense, including vehicles with a red background and white letters and numbers such as control vehicles, military inspection vehicles, specialized prisoner transport vehicles, rescue vehicles, satellite communication vehicles, and other specialized vehicles.
In addition, specialized vehicles of police units such as traffic police; 113 emergency police; riot police; transport vehicles on duty; prisoner transport vehicles; rescue and relief vehicles; and special police vehicles are also exempt from road usage fees.
Decree 90 stipulates that road usage fees are calculated and paid according to the inspection cycle. For vehicles with an inspection cycle of one year or less, the vehicle owner pays the fee for the entire cycle. If the inspection cycle is 18, 24, or 36 months, the vehicle owner pays the road usage fee annually (12 months) or according to the corresponding cycle.
Additional cases where unemployment insurance contribution periods are preserved.
Circular 15/2023 of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, effective from February 15th, adds a case where unemployment insurance benefits can be retained. This includes employees whose unemployment insurance contribution period is confirmed by the social insurance agency after the termination of unemployment benefits.
There are two cases where the period of unemployment insurance contributions not yet received as unemployment benefits will not be retained. Firstly, if a worker has contributed to unemployment insurance for more than 144 months, they will only be entitled to a maximum of 12 months of unemployment benefits. The remaining months for which unemployment benefits have not been received will not be retained.
Secondly, any remaining months of unemployment insurance benefits that were reserved in the benefit decision will not be retained if the employee fails to collect the unemployment benefit; the unemployment benefit decision is canceled; or the unemployment benefit is terminated.
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