Understand correctly, do correctly

Circular 29 of the Ministry of Education and Training, which regulates extra classes and tutoring, came into effect on February 14th, but many parents and teachers still misunderstand it.

No prohibitions, no restrictions, but no coercion.

To date, many forums still argue that implementing Circular 29/2024/TT-BGDĐT (Circular 29) of the Ministry of Education and Training, which regulates supplementary teaching and learning and takes effect from February 14, 2025, prohibiting teachers from teaching and students from attending supplementary classes, will affect the quality of education, especially for graduating students who want to apply to high-quality schools.

Many teachers, parents, and students still do not fully understand the spirit of Circular 29 regarding supplementary tutoring. Photo: Thong Nhat

Clarifying the management of extracurricular tutoring according to Circular 29, the Ministry of Education and Training once again affirmed: “ The issuance of this circular aims to better manage extracurricular tutoring activities, not to prohibit or restrict them. Extracurricular tutoring must ensure that it does not affect the implementation of the school's educational program or the teachers' subject curriculum …”.

Since its issuance (December 30, 2024), Circular 29 has received significant public attention due to its many points directly related to teaching and learning, such as: No extra tutoring or supplementary classes for primary school students, except for training in arts, physical education, sports, and life skills; and no extra tutoring for students who already receive two sessions of instruction per day from their schools.

In addition, teachers at schools are not allowed to provide extracurricular tutoring for a fee to students they are assigned to teach according to the school's educational plan; public school teachers are not allowed to participate in managing or supervising extracurricular tutoring but may participate in tutoring outside of school.

The target group for supplementary tutoring includes: Students whose end-of-semester grades in the preceding semester were below the required level; students selected by the school for advanced training; and final-year students who voluntarily register for entrance exam preparation or graduation exam preparation according to the school's educational plan.

Therefore, Circular 29 does not prohibit tutoring within schools, but only prohibits tutoring that violates regulations or targets the wrong students, aiming to prevent teachers from cutting back on classroom instruction and taking students outside for extra tutoring.

In fact, some regulations in Circular 29 are not new, such as the rule that teachers are not allowed to give extra tutoring to students they teach in class. However, these previous regulations have not been followed by a segment of teachers, many still finding ways to circumvent inspections through various means. And there is also the reality that many students have to take extra tutoring to avoid "offending" their teachers. This has led to a distorted perception of the education sector as well as the practice of extra tutoring.

For an education with good values.

According to Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong, the Ministry of Education and Training's stance is to eliminate extra tutoring and supplementary classes within schools. The spirit of Circular 29 is "for an education system with positive values" and for the dignity of teachers.

Currently, some junior and senior high schools have proactively developed plans to organize review sessions for final-year students at the school without charging tuition fees, such as in Dong Thap, Nam Dinh, Bac Ninh, Bac Kan, etc.

In Bac Ninh, before Circular 29 came into effect, the Department of Education and Training had already issued a document requesting the education and training departments of districts, towns, and cities, as well as affiliated units, to disseminate and thoroughly explain the contents of Circular 29 to management staff, teachers, students, and parents; and to strictly implement the responsibilities of the Principal as stipulated in Article 13 of Circular 29…

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga, Principal of Tran Quoc Toan Primary and Secondary School (Bac Ninh City), said that on February 11th, the school held a meeting with all teachers and staff to disseminate and explain the implementation of Circular 29. In this circular, teachers were required to write a commitment to the principal, and the principal was required to write a commitment to the head of the city's education and training department, stating that they would not organize illegal extra classes or tutoring.

Currently, the Department of Education and Training of Bac Ninh province is actively directing schools to improve the quality of regular classes; assigning homework and guiding students to self-study at home using various appropriate solutions. At the same time, it is developing a plan to advise provincial leaders on financial support to ensure that extracurricular teaching and learning at schools (if any) takes place in accordance with regulations and targets the appropriate students, while ensuring a balance between improving educational quality and teacher remuneration.

Discussing this issue, experts argue that saying schools not organizing extra classes will lead to a decline in quality is insufficient. It's time we addressed the situation where students have packed schedules from morning till night, leaving no time for rest, self-study, or to absorb and apply knowledge. Circular 29, despite some inconsistencies, has two particularly important impacts: it "frees" students and parents from having to attend extra classes voluntarily, rather than forcing them, and it encourages parents to participate in their children's education instead of leaving it entirely to teachers and schools.

Once again, the Ministry of Education and Training emphasizes: The responsibility of schools and teachers is to teach in a way that helps students develop qualities and competencies, meeting the required learning outcomes; the design of tests and assessments must also ensure accuracy and completeness in accordance with the program's objectives. For students whose results are below par and who are preparing for entrance exams to higher education or the high school graduation exam, schools and teachers have a responsibility to provide supplementary support.

To ensure effective education and a harmonious combination of all three elements (school, family, and society), parents and society need to work together with schools and participate in monitoring the implementation of Circular 29.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/day-them-hoc-them-hieu-dung-thuc-hien-moi-dung-374570.html