Every year at school, parents are sad because textbook prices increase.

On the morning of November 8, at the National Assembly's question-and-answer session, debating with Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son about textbook innovation, delegate Pham Van Hoa (Dong Thap delegation) said that socializing textbook compilation is a correct policy of the Party, State, National Assembly, and Government to attract talents, experts, and scientists.

However, the socialization of textbooks in recent times has raised many problems. "Socialization has not only failed to reduce the price of textbooks but has increased. This is very inappropriate," said Mr. Hoa. He suggested that the Ministryof Education and Training compile a set of textbooks to compete with publishers.

Delegate Pham Van Hoa spoke on the morning of November 8.

"Parents jokingly say that every summer students feel sad, but every year when school starts parents feel sad. Why are parents sad? They feel sad because there are no textbooks, and then the price of textbooks increases.

The Ministry should compile textbooks to compete with other units and when necessary, the State should set prices and subsidize textbooks. We can move towards a state that does not charge textbooks or tuition fees ," he said.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that in reality, the price of textbooks when socialized is not as cheap as desired. However, the Ministry is only responsible for professional appraisal, while financial issues and price approval are based on the declaration of publishers.

Regarding the compilation of State textbooks, the Minister said he had fully expressed his views on this issue during the discussion session on socio-economics at the meeting.

His view is that from now until 2024, the most important priority is to assess the quality of textbooks for grades 5, 9, and 12 very well, ensuring enough books for the next school year. As for the issue of textbooks, the Ministry will research, propose and try to evaluate in depth in the next 1-2 years when the textbook renewal process is completed and propose a plan to submit to the National Assembly later.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son answers questions.

Regarding the issue of teacher shortage, according to the opinion of delegate Leo Thi Lich (Standing member of the Ethnic Council), Minister Nguyen Kim Son said that a synchronous solution is needed to solve it. He admitted that the teacher shortage occurs more in mountainous areas, remote areas, and at preschool and primary levels.

Recently, over 3,000 schools in many remote areas have been consolidated, partly overcoming the shortage of teachers. In the coming time, the education sector will continue to reorganize and consolidate schools in places where it is possible.

Minister Nguyen Kim Son suggested that the 10% reduction in the number of civil servants should not be applied equally across localities to ensure sufficient teachers and reduce difficulties for the education sector. The Ministry will also increase solutions to prepare input sources so that when needed, mountainous and remote areas can recruit more teachers.

Ha Cuong

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