Do not let extra teaching and learning spread

That is the request from Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong for the new school year 2025 - 2026.

On August 27, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee held a conference to summarize the 2024-2025 school year and deploy tasks for the 2025-2026 school year.

Many bright spots, outstanding results

According to the Department of Education and Training (GD-DT) of Ho Chi Minh City, in the 2024-2025 school year, the city has synchronously implemented the General Education Program (GEP) 2018 at all levels, and for the first time organized the high school graduation exam according to the new program. The city continues to maintain good student assessment programs according to international standards; effectively implement breakthrough projects and programs on education and training, deploy elective English teaching from grade 1; organize many activities to prepare for the implementation of the Project "Gradually making English the second language in schools" according to Conclusion 91/KL-TW of the Politburo . In addition, digital transformation is being implemented synchronously in the education and training sector. The educational geographic information system (GIS) has been completed, 100% of localities enroll students in the first grade online.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong and Mr. Vo Van Minh - Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council - awarded Certificates of Merit from the Prime Minister to outstanding collectives.

The quality of education in the last school year in Ho Chi Minh City continued to be affirmed when recording many outstanding achievements, such as: Silver medal in the 66th International Mathematics Olympiad, maintaining the second place nationwide in the national excellent student exam, the number of first prizes increased in all subjects, including students who achieved valedictorian in English for 10 consecutive years...

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong assessed that the Ho Chi Minh City education and training sector has achieved very impressive highlights. That is, the whole sector has quickly and promptly transformed from a 3-level local government to a 2-level one, clearly demonstrated through the large-scale high school graduation exam, demonstrating the sense of responsibility and capacity of the whole sector. In addition, the quality of education at all levels from preschool, general education, vocational education, and continuing education in the school year has all had positive changes, with higher results than the previous school year. The city's high school graduation rate for the 2024-2025 school year reached 99.86%, higher than the national average of 99.22%. The city continues to promote English teaching, children from preschool have been exposed to and familiarized with English, in line with the trend...

However, according to Mr. Thuong, after the merger, the city's education and training sector continues to face difficulties in school facilities. According to data, a school in Binh Duong ward has more than 100 classrooms. This overloads the management staff, affecting the organization of teaching and learning activities. "Recently, the Politburo issued Resolution 71, which requires ensuring schools, classrooms, and enough teachers for students. Therefore, we cannot allow schools to have more than 100 classrooms like this. Because it will certainly affect the quality of teaching, disadvantage students and create difficulties for those doing management work," Mr. Thuong stated.

Innovation in management thinking

At the conference, the leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training suggested that in the coming time, the education and training sector should continue to implement Circular 29 regulating extra teaching and learning. "I have just asked the Director of the General Education Department to soon advise on amending Circular 29. The reason for the change from 3-level local government to 2-level will have some content that needs to be revised. However, there is one consistent principle that does not change, which is to limit the spread of extra teaching and learning. If Ho Chi Minh City still allows rampant extra teaching and learning, we have not implemented Circular 29 well and now Resolution 71 even more. In fact, Ho Chi Minh City is doing well but must continue to do better" - Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong emphasized.

The leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training also requested the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training to renew its thinking on education management, because the current local government model has 2 levels, and must strengthen digital management, decentralization and delegation of authority associated with accountability.

Presenting the paper "Gradually bringing English into the second language in general schools in Ho Chi Minh City", Ms. Lam Hong Lam Thuy, Head of the General Education Department - Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that this will include specific steps. From improving the quality of teaching and learning in schools, standardizing programs from primary to high school according to international standards, training and upgrading the standards of English teachers... to expanding the environment for using English outside of schools. Moving towards applying technology and digital transformation, piloting and replicating in schools implementing high-quality educational content, advanced schools, international and regional integration...

Regarding the direction of implementing tasks for the 2025-2026 school year, Dr. Nguyen Van Hieu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that this school year will be a key period for the city to take full advantage of digital transformation and regional consolidation. The city's education and training sector clearly identifies priority areas to quickly improve the quality of education in a synchronous and sustainable manner... Continue to promote digital transformation, modernize facilities and perfect the inter-regional management model after merging with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau. With more than 2.5 million students, the city plans to put into use about 1,700 new classrooms from the budget and socialized sources, ensuring that 100% of students have enough standard places to study... "The achievements in the 2024-2025 school year will be a solid foundation for the city to continue affirming its leading role in the country in education and training innovation. With the orientation of building a modern, smart, equitable and sustainable education system, Ho Chi Minh City is gradually realizing its vision of becoming an international education center of the region..." - Mr. Hieu emphasized.

"Order" multiple content

At the conference, Mr. Vo Van Minh - Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council - "ordered" the city's education and training sector many important contents. The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council requested the education and training sector to develop policies and programs to develop education approaching regional and international levels. Accept the instructions, and at the same time follow the roadmap to ensure the completion of the city's breakthrough programs and projects on education, aiming to equip students with the necessary skills for international integration. In this school year, continue to promote the application of information technology in management, teaching and learning, ensuring that technical infrastructure, management software and online learning platforms are deployed effectively, safely and sustainably. Further promote the study and following of Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style to cadres, teachers, staff and students... "In addition, the city's education and training sector needs to focus on researching and proposing solutions for training and fostering the teaching staff in line with practical needs, ensuring sufficient structure, quantity and quality to meet the requirements of educational innovation" - Mr. Minh suggested.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/khong-de-day-them-hoc-them-tran-lan-196250827210150581.htm