Inviting artists and athletes to teach in schools: Need for parallel laws

Official Letter 5215 issued by the Ministry of Education and Training on September 3rd opened the door for artisans, artists, coaches, and athletes to enter schools. This is an important step, connecting the classroom with life, helping students see that knowledge is not only on paper.

During a conversation, I asked musician Nguyen Van Chung, author of many familiar children's songs, what he would think if he were invited to teach music at school. He immediately replied that he was willing because he had previously taught a few summer classes, extracurricular hours or music club activities at schools. He found it practical, creating motivation for students to study.

Music class for secondary school students in Ho Chi Minh City at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

His ideal in music is to use melody and lyrics to awaken the good things in the soul of every child, every person. I heard and found it convincing because it is clear that when we bring practice into the classroom, we not only bring knowledge to students but also open up life values.

K RESPONSIBILITY GAPS

But when viewed from a legal perspective, is there enough room for the long haul? Because besides the benefits, the gap in responsibility is not small. If a student is injured during a sports class with an outside coach, who will be responsible for compensation? If during an exchange session, an artist accidentally makes a statement that is not appropriate for their age, how will the school handle it? We cannot rely solely on the ethics and professional reputation stated in the document.

Current laws have some scattered regulations. The General School Regulations (issued with Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT) identify teachers as the primary responsible persons to the school and parents. The 2016 Law on Children sets out the obligation to protect and prevent children from being harmed in the educational environment. The 2015 Civil Code stipulates the responsibility to compensate for damages outside the contract. However, there is no document that directly regulates the situation of guest teachers.

Circular 5215 is encouraging, not mandatory, and does not specify legal responsibility in case of an incident. In other words, the door is open but there is no legal red carpet for artists to safely enter the classroom.

Under current law, artists invited to schools are not considered employees under contract of the school, so they are not covered by health insurance or occupational accident insurance. They are also not diplomatic guests, so they are not exempt from civil liability. They are in a legal vacuum, where if anything happens, the only way is to... "apologize and take care of it yourself".

Cai luong artists performed and interacted with students of Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School, Tan Dinh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City

Photo: D.TH

THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING NEEDS TO PROMULGATE DETAILED COORDINATION REGULATIONS

International experience shows that many countries have considered this from the beginning. In Japan, artists entering the classroom must undergo a short pedagogical training course and receive a community education certificate. In the US, schools that invite outside coaches must sign a commitment to responsibility, and students are covered by school accident insurance. Singapore requires all guests to sign a clear code of conduct, with a mechanism for handling violations.

Official Letter 5215 only stops at the principle of encouraging and guiding transparent remuneration payment. The Ministry of Education and Training needs to go one step further, which is to issue more detailed coordination regulations. There must be at least 3 pillars.

First, it is mandatory to provide basic pedagogical training for all guests, helping them understand the psychology of their age and communication skills in the school environment. Second, regulations on insurance and compensation liability, avoiding the situation of "no one cries for public property" when risks occur. Third, establish a process to control content and language to ensure educational standards.

When the legal framework is clear, rights and obligations are transparent, guests can feel secure in their contributions. No one wants to enter the classroom with uncertain responsibilities.

It took us 10 years to bring computers into schools because of lack of electricity, lack of money, lack of regulations. Now, let's not let the lack of regulations force artists, those who can bring life to education, to stand outside the school gates, holding puppets, instruments or dance sets because no one dares to invite them in.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/moi-nghe-si-van-dong-vien-vao-truong-day-hoc-can-luat-song-hanh-18525091822115375.htm