To prevent tutoring and supplementary education from becoming distorted.

The Ministry of Education and Training is seeking feedback to amend Circular 29 on the management of extracurricular tutoring, aiming to both prohibit legitimate tutoring and not restrict students' legitimate learning needs or teachers' teaching rights. The main focus of the amendments is to strengthen management measures and minimize disguised tutoring, coercion of students, and profiteering from tutoring activities that negatively impact the educational environment.

Circular 29, since its issuance (effective from mid-February 2025), has attracted significant public attention due to its many new provisions. Accordingly, secondary schools are only allowed to provide free extra classes at school for three groups of students: those with below-average abilities, gifted students, and graduating students who voluntarily prepare for exams. Teachers are prohibited from charging fees for extra classes with students in their regular classes.

After more than a year in effect, the regulations have significantly reduced the proliferation of private tutoring. School administrators and teachers have a fuller understanding of their responsibilities and the importance of regular school teaching, as well as their responsibility in supporting students to ensure educational quality; while students have developed better self-study skills. However, new problems have also arisen. With the tightening of private tutoring within schools, some parents have resorted to external centers, leading to increased costs for tuition, transportation, and schooling.

The need for extra tutoring in society is real; many students still want to strengthen their knowledge to be well-prepared for the highly competitive final exams. Many parents are willing to spend money and effort finding tutoring centers for their children. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training's revision of Circular 29 to acknowledge the legitimate needs of learners and the teaching rights of teachers is necessary, but in the long term, systemic solutions are needed.

Dr. Hoang Ngoc Vinh, former Director of the Department of Professional Education, Ministry of Education and Training, believes that Circular 29, if it only stipulates generally that "legitimate tutoring and supplementary classes are not prohibited," is insufficient. Without a clear definition of "legitimate," it could easily become an ambiguous area, allowing anyone to use the excuse of legitimate need to expand tutoring.

Furthermore, to put an end to the distorted practice of private tutoring, there must be a radical reform in student assessment methods. It's unacceptable to measure ability primarily through grades and tests that focus on reproducing knowledge. In particular, both the approach to examinations and the techniques for designing exam questions should be reformed. As long as there are sample exam papers, practice tests, teaching based on tricks, and learning according to rigid patterns, "learning for the sake of the exam" will persist.

On the other hand, many opinions suggest that, to prevent teachers from forcing students to attend extra classes at tutoring centers, it is necessary to clearly stipulate that teachers who teach at schools are not allowed to teach at tutoring centers; if teachers want a higher income, they can quit teaching at school and only teach at tutoring centers.

From the school's perspective, along with improving the quality of teaching and learning, it is necessary to launch a movement of self-study, self-reading, research, and career guidance for students, helping them discover their strengths, abilities, and passions so they can pursue them appropriately. At the same time, administrative management solutions should be strengthened, such as reporting and registration mechanisms according to regulations, so that when regulations on extracurricular tutoring are relaxed, the education sector will not revert to its old ways, leading to decline and stifling creativity because students are only preoccupied with extracurricular learning.

Education is a matter of great concern to society as a whole, affecting every household and impacting the quality of Vietnamese people in the future. Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training needs to listen to diverse opinions and conduct thorough research to establish truly correct and appropriate regulations on tutoring and supplementary classes; ensuring students' right to education to develop their individual abilities while creating fairness and minimizing negative issues.

LAM NGUYEN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/de-day-them-hoc-them-khong-bi-meo-mo-post843754.html