Studying 2 sessions/day in Ho Chi Minh City: Which activities require payment, which activities use the budget?

In the guidelines on organizing 2 sessions/day of teaching in the 2025-2026 school year, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training provided specific information on educational activities implemented from the budget (parents do not have to pay), and educational activities implemented by socialization (parents have to pay).

STEM/STEAM classes are required to be paid.

PHOTO: NTCC

According to the guidelines for organizing 2 sessions/day for the 2025-2026 school year issued on September 10, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training requires schools to effectively implement the goals of the 2018 General Education Program, ensuring the duration of teaching subjects and organizing educational activities; not causing overload, suitable for students' psychology and health.

At the same time, ensure the rights, meet the needs and aspirations of students, in accordance with the actual conditions of the school and locality. Prioritize budget allocation to organize teaching 2 sessions/day, effectively implement the policy of socializing education to ensure the principles of voluntariness, publicity, transparency, and compliance with the provisions of law. Teaching time for sessions 1 and 2 in the week is flexible in arrangement, not fixed session 1 is in the morning and session 2 is in the afternoon.

Which lessons are free and which are not?

In order for schools to properly implement the regulations on teaching 2 sessions/day, the Department of Education and Training stipulates:

Educational activities in session 2 are carried out from the budget (parents do not have to pay) , including:

• Review for 10th grade entrance exam and high school graduation exam no more than 6 periods/week; implemented from the beginning of the school year.
• Consolidation activities for students to complete learning content; review and tutor students whose learning results of the previous semester's subjects are not satisfactory (no more than 2 periods/subject/week; early grades are implemented from the second semester of the school year; remaining grades are implemented from the beginning of the school year); Nurturing excellent students by subject (no more than 2 periods/subject/week, implemented from the beginning of the school year until students take the exam).

Educational activities in session 2 are carried out from socialized sources (parents must pay) , including:

• Career guidance activities, experiences, STEM/STEAM, life skills, digital skills, AI, foreign languages, sports, culture, arts and career counseling...
• Activities and learning content aim to organize and implement projects and plans of the city and the education sector.

School leaders, professional groups, and teachers grasp students' requirements (through assessment, surveys, discussions, interviews, etc.) and regulations to determine appropriate teaching content, educational activities, duration, and forms.

The Principal is responsible for studying the legal documents of agencies, organizations, and businesses that wish to coordinate and cooperate in organizing educational activities at the unit, including establishment licenses, operating licenses (valid until the expected end of the contract), capacity profiles, curriculum framework, and teaching materials.

Mr. Nguyen Bao Quoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, emphasized that schools that develop plans to teach 2 sessions/day must demonstrate scientific , effective and necessary aspects when implementing socialization. Principals are responsible for activities, implemented grade levels, content framework, methods, organization forms, implementation plans and coordinating organizations and units.

The plan must be specific, clear, and scientific in terms of goals, requirements, content, implementation form, time, location, and resources.

Ensure voluntary participation of students, consent of parents and compliance with school implementation conditions (evidence). Collection, disbursement, management and use of contributions from parents must comply with current regulations.

Students who review for high school graduation exam (6 periods/week) do not have to pay

PHOTO: H.D

No regular classes scheduled on Saturdays

Yesterday, September 10, in response to many complaints and messages from parents about unreasonable timetable arrangements and frustration over having to study on Saturdays, especially at junior high and high school levels, taking place in the first days of the 2025-2026 school year, the leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training gave specific instructions on organizing 2 sessions/day, organizing school programs...

Accordingly, Ms. Lam Hong Lam Thuy, Head of the General Education Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, requested that schools review and make flexible arrangements to ensure that they do not cause public outrage, especially when the new school year has just begun.

According to Ms. Thuy, even from primary to secondary school, not all schools have the conditions to organize 2 sessions/day. If possible, schools should limit classes on Saturdays. Some schools have flexibly turned Saturdays into self-study or online learning sessions, which is a direction worth considering.

Ms. Lam Thuy noted that Ho Chi Minh City has issued a list of educational activities and support services that are allowed to be collected from socialized sources. For example, the content of foreign language learning includes 6 sub-categories. However, that does not mean that the school organizes all 6 contents. The selection must be appropriate and not put pressure on students and parents.

Mr. Nguyen Bao Quoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, informed that the General Education Department had discussed with the leaders of the General Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Training and agreed that 7 periods/day are only for implementing the main curriculum. Therefore, schools are proactive and flexible, but must ensure that 7 periods/day are for the 2018 General Education Program. After these 7 periods, the school's curriculum can be implemented.

According to Mr. Quoc, organizing 2 sessions/day also needs to pay attention to the active participation of students. Mr. Quoc directed schools not to schedule regular classes on Saturday. Saturday should be arranged to nurture excellent students, tutor underachieving students, organize clubs... with the active and voluntary participation of students.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hoc-2-buoi-ngay-tai-tphcm-hoat-dong-nao-phai-dong-tien-hoat-dong-nao-dung-ngan-sach-185250910225248991.htm