General education is embracing a new era.

Resolution 29 & 10 Years of Fundamental and Comprehensive Educational Reform:

On November 4, 2013, the Eighth Conference of the Central Committee of the 11th Party Congress issued Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW on “Fundamental and comprehensive reform of education and training to meet the requirements of industrialization and modernization in the context of a socialist-oriented market economy and international integration” (Resolution 29). This resolution marks a new development in the Party's strategic thinking regarding the development of education and training in Vietnam. Based on this strategic thinking, over the past 10 years, Vietnamese education has undergone many positive changes and transformations, from general education to higher education. Among these, creating “happy schools” where “every day at school is a joyful day” is also one of the major tasks of the education sector today.

Education has become more substantive.

Over the past 10 years, at the secondary school level, the implementation of Resolution 29 has been synchronized and systematic, especially the introduction of the 2018 general education curriculum and new textbooks into teaching. Teachers who have been involved in education for nearly 20 years can easily feel the daily changes as the goals and educational philosophies, imbued with the spirit of Resolution 29-NQ/TW, are applied in schools.

The story shared by Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong, Principal of Thai Thinh Secondary School in Hanoi, is a vivid example. According to Mr. Cuong, the most noticeable positive change since the implementation of Resolution 29 is that education has become more "realistic." Before Resolution 29 was issued, Mr. Cuong believed that some places still had a focus on form over achievement, but now, teaching and learning in a practical way has become a mandatory requirement.

Secondary education has placed a greater emphasis on the holistic development of students. Photo: Thai Thinh Secondary School, Dong Da District, Hanoi.

Keeping up with the times.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Bui Manh Hung: “The 2018 general education program is the result of inheriting the achievements and experiences of Vietnam's curriculum development in previous periods, especially the 2006 general education program, and learning from the ideas and techniques of general education curriculum development in developed countries. According to Associate Professor Bui Manh Hung, Vietnam reformed its curriculum at the same time that countries like the United States, Australia, Finland, South Korea, Germany… were also reforming their general education. Therefore, we have the opportunity to update to modern curriculum models.”

With strong guidance from Party and State leaders at all levels, notably the close supervision of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, education has adhered to the principle of "practical teaching, practical learning, and genuine talent." Teachers and schools no longer place excessive emphasis on achievements; instead, they pay more attention to students' emotions and monitor their daily progress through teaching methods aimed at developing skills and qualities in learners.

Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong is the only secondary school teacher involved in writing the mathematics textbooks (grades 6, 7, and 8) for the "Connecting Knowledge with Life" series. Therefore, he understands the changes brought about by the new curriculum and textbooks. The "One curriculum, many textbooks" approach brings a "breath of fresh air" to general education. In particular, the curriculum's focus on developing competencies and qualities is a new feature.

Not only Mr. Cuong but many other teachers have noticed that the new general education program is built on a competency-based development model, through basic, practical, and modern knowledge and methods that actively engage learners, helping students form and develop the qualities and competencies that schools and society expect.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tung Lam, Principal of Dinh Tien Hoang High School (Hanoi), the biggest highlight that Resolution 29 brings to general education is the educational philosophy that emphasizes the cultivation of character. This is the most outstanding feature that Resolution 29 brings.

We need to be more decisive.

Despite the achievements made in implementing Resolution 29, many teachers still recognize that there are many areas that need improvement to ensure the Resolution is implemented even more effectively.

According to teacher Nguyen Tung Lam, when implementing Resolution 29, he felt the positive attitude of the Ministry of Education and Training, while many places remained passive and had not yet truly collaborated with the Ministry of Education and Training. “For example, regarding salaries, Resolution 29 clearly states that teachers' salaries are in the highest salary scale, but to date, teachers' salaries are still insufficient to live on, and many teachers face many difficulties in their lives,” said teacher Nguyen Tung Lam.

Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong, Principal of Thai Thinh Secondary School in Dong Da District, Hanoi, believes that education has become more substantive since Resolution 29 was implemented in schools.

Meanwhile, according to Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong, many aspects still fall short of expectations, such as the inadequate preparation of human resources for educational reform, especially in the implementation of the 2018 General Education Program. In many areas, there is both a shortage and a surplus of teachers. Many subjects urgently need teachers but lack them, while other subjects and grade levels show signs of having an excess of teachers. Furthermore, the salary and benefits policies lack the attractiveness to attract high-quality human resources. For many years, teacher training colleges have failed to recruit outstanding students, and in many places, teachers have resigned.

Furthermore, inadequate facilities and teaching equipment are also a challenge, as many places lack them. The insufficient and untimely provision of facilities significantly impacts the operation and quality of education in schools. In many places, teaching computer science is extremely difficult due to the lack of computer labs. Similarly, many well-equipped schools in mountainous provinces lack sufficient teaching equipment.

Through discussions, it's clear that Resolution 29 has transformed the face of general education, both qualitatively and quantitatively. However, some issues remain unmet. Hopefully, in the future, these obstacles and limitations will be overcome so that Resolution 29 can continue to be implemented comprehensively and in depth to bring about further changes in general education.

Vietnamese general education is highly regarded internationally. According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Chi Thanh - Head of the Faculty of Education, University of Education - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, the 2021 ranking of the best countries in education by US News magazine (USA) placed Vietnam 59th in the world. Vietnamese general education is now on par with developed countries (OECD), ranking in the top 40.

Trinh Phuc

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/giao-duc-pho-thong-don-luong-gio-moi-post278693.html