Flexible regulations on tutoring and supplementary classes.

Representatives from educational institutions argue that although regulations on tutoring and supplementary classes have been revised, they still haven't addressed the existing problems in practice.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has recently sent a document to several Departments of Education and Training to solicit feedback on the draft Circular amending and supplementing Circular 29/2024 regulating supplementary teaching and learning.

Delegation of authority to directors of Departments of Education and Training

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the revised and supplemented contents of Circular 29 aim to ensure that they meet practical requirements in the management of extra teaching and learning, contributing to the elimination of the disease of achievement in education . However, many teachers and schools are still concerned about the inadequacies from reality that have not been resolved.

According to the draft circular, it is expected that the Ministry of Education and Training will "untie" some regulations on extra teaching and learning. Specifically, in Circular 29 issued by the Ministry of Education and Training previously, it is stipulated that junior high and high schools are only allowed to teach extra classes to 3 groups of students, including the group that has not achieved, the group that trains excellent students, and the final year students who voluntarily review for exams, and it must be completely free. Now it is amended and supplemented to: Each subject is allowed to teach extra classes for no more than 2 periods/week. Except for special cases considered and decided by the Director of the Department of Education and Training at the request of the principal.

Many high schools in Ho Chi Minh City organize free review sessions for 12th grade students.

The Ministry of Education and Training explained that during the implementation process, the ministry plans to allow more flexibility regarding the duration of extra classes in schools by empowering the directors of provincial Departments of Education and Training to make decisions in cases where school principals propose it.

Specifically, the school principal, based on the actual conditions of the school (in terms of facilities, teaching staff, time for organizing the second session of teaching according to the school's educational plan, allocated budget...) to consider the necessity and appropriateness of adding more teaching and learning time for some students of the school to propose to the Director of the Department of Education and Training to consider and decide for the benefit of students. This amendment and supplement still ensures the core principle of Circular 29 on the management of extra teaching and learning in schools: not collecting money from students, not increasing learning pressure and not restricting the right to study. Strengthening and improving the quality of regular school hours, giving time and space for students to experience, practice and train through educational activities according to their individual needs for comprehensive development.

According to the proposed amendments and supplements to Circular 29, teachers who are teaching at schools when participating in extracurricular teaching outside of school must report regularly. Specifically, regulations on regular updates at the extracurricular teaching facility will be added to increase the effectiveness of timely supervision by society. Teachers who are teaching at schools when participating in extracurricular teaching outside of school must report regularly, that is, they must report before starting and update the report when there is a change in one of the report contents. This regulation aims to strengthen the management responsibility of the principal.

In particular, the draft circular amends and supplements the responsibilities of the People's Committees at the commune level (transferring the responsibilities of the People's Committees at the district level to the People's Committees at the commune level) and at the provincial level to be consistent with the implementation of two-level local government. According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the amendment and supplementation of the circular is for the benefit of students, in accordance with the Law on Teachers when it strictly prohibits teachers from "forcing students to participate in extra classes in any form", and preserves the image and dignity of teachers according to the provisions of the 2019 Law on Education on prohibited acts in educational institutions. At the same time, it ensures the legitimate interests and fairness between teachers teaching different subjects in schools; helps students eliminate the tendency to emphasize certain subjects, and aims to eliminate the disease of achievement in education.

Insider's voice

Although many regulations on tutoring and supplementary classes are expected to be revised and "loosened," leaders of many educational institutions and teachers still have concerns, believing that these revisions have not yet resolved the existing problems of this highly debated activity.

A teacher at a high school in Xom Chieu ward (HCMC) said that the Ministry of Education and Training explained that the amendments and supplements to Circular 29 are to ensure legitimate and fair interests among teachers teaching different subjects in schools; helping students eliminate the tendency to prioritize certain subjects. "This is only reasonable in cases where the above tutoring activities are charged" - this teacher affirmed. According to this teacher, in reality, only very few students take extra classes at school because students study for exams and therefore will go out to study to ensure their needs are met, teachers of subjects that students take extra classes a lot will also not be interested in teaching for free at school. Therefore, regulating the number of classes is unnecessary.

Mr. Lam Vu Cong Chinh, a teacher at Nguyen Du High School (Hoa Hung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), expressed that the regulation of reporting details on extra-curricular teaching and learning outside of school and updating reports regularly will be difficult to implement in practice. For example, if a teacher reports that there are 10 students taking extra classes, and then the number increases by a few students each day, he must also report. The school's function is to manage the subject, so cumbersome regulations will create difficulties for each other.

Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu, Principal of Bui Thi Xuan High School (Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), said that many regulations in Circular 29 are restrictive, inadequate, and impractical, resulting in students having to go outside for extra classes. However, these regulations have not yet been amended.

The school finds it difficult to meet

According to Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu, most recently, the 2025 high school graduation exam had very difficult questions, and students could not pass the exam if they did not take extra classes. Meanwhile, even though the Ministry of Education and Training allows the number of extra teaching periods, if other regulations are not flexible, it will be very difficult for schools to meet them. As evidence, Mr. Phu pointed out the fact that the Ministry of Education and Training stipulates that extra teaching in schools must be completely free. Because they are not allowed to collect fees, many schools are currently converting the above extra teaching periods into extra periods for teachers. But in reality, schools do not have enough teachers to implement them, nor do they have the funds to pay for all those extra periods. Because not only grade 12 but also grade 10 and 11 need to review and need a team of teachers, so the force is clearly lacking.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/linh-hoat-quy-dinh-ve-day-them-hoc-them-196251209215638344.htm