No pressure to implement 'happy schools'

A representative of the Ministry of Education and Training said that the implementation of "happy schools" must come from the needs of schools and teachers, and should not be turned into a movement and put pressure on them.

At the Happy School Discussion on the morning of October 25 organized by the Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, the Happy School Support and Development Fund (Happy Lof Schools), Mr. Vu Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Teachers and Managers, Ministry of Education and Training, acknowledged that happiness is an abstract concept, each person, each stage has a different understanding. In short, happiness is a feeling of excitement, positive emotions of people in each specific situation. For example, for his generation, going to school is happiness.

Regarding the reasons for building happy schools, Louise Aukland, a neuroscience researcher at the University of Oxford, UK, argues that the education sector has a responsibility to create a better learning environment for students.

Citing figures from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UNICEF, Louise stated that one in three students experiences bullying at school every month and that 20% of young people globally are experiencing mental health problems.

"We shouldn't just make students laugh, but help them enjoy coming to school, develop positive feelings, thoughts, and mindsets. Happy young people will achieve better results," she said.

In 2018, the Ministry of Education and Training began implementing the happy school model. After that, some provinces, cities and schools turned this activity into a competitive movement with many criteria, with preliminary and final summaries and awards. However, Mr. Vu Minh Duc said that this needs to come from the needs of schools and teachers themselves.

"Don't turn happy schools into a movement or a competition criterion and then force schools to implement it. That will only create more pressure for them," Mr. Duc said.

In addition, according to Mr. Duc, many schools have implemented it effectively, helping to reduce pressure on students and teachers, and teachers and students enjoy going to class. However, some models are not suitable and are being exploited for economic purposes. Therefore, he suggested that schools must ensure the core values ​​of this model.

Mr. Vu Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Teachers and Managers, Ministry of Education and Training, on the morning of October 25. Photo: Thanh Hang

Dr. Le Thi Quynh Nga, Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences, suggests a happy school model with two main elements.

Ms. Nga said that the first factor is the external environment such as friendly and safe landscape, solid facilities, suitable for the age and development of children. In addition, this criterion also includes the relationship between people, so that students feel respected, trusted, and shared.

"For example, if the school gate is about to collapse, or the ceiling fan is in danger of falling, how can students be happy? Similarly, the way teachers treat each other, and how staff treat students, also needs to be emphasized, ensuring civility and respect," she said.

The remaining factor, Ms. Nga believes, is that because happiness is a personal emotional state, in order for students to feel happy, they need to be physically and mentally healthy.

"Schools should actively organize sports activities to help students improve their health. As for their spirit, how can we support them to think positively, which will lead to positive emotions, the source of happiness," said Ms. Nga.

Sharing her practical experience, Ms. Le Thi Mai Huong, Deputy Principal in charge of the Experimental Primary, Secondary, and High School of Educational Science, said that instead of creating a common set of regulations for the entire school, students in each class develop their own rules. This makes them more responsible and committed to following them effectively.

"If a student violates the rules, we focus on psychological counseling to find out why the child reacts that way. We cannot criticize them just because they are wrong," Ms. Huong shared.

Nearly a week ago, the workshop on happy schools organized by the Ministry of Education and Training in Hanoi attracted more than 500 teachers from more than 60 provinces and cities. Here, teachers discussed and sought solutions to reduce pressure in schools, find ways to educate positively, resolve school violence,...

Thanh Hang

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