Parents are alone in the battle for 'voluntary extra classes'.

TPO - Since the issuance of Circular 29 by the Ministry of Education and Training, extracurricular tutoring has been organized outside of schools, significantly increasing parents' expenses. In reality, Circular 29 has not prevented the phenomenon of involuntary tutoring.

Even if you don't like it, you have to learn it.

Following the article in Tien Phong newspaper titled "After 6 months of tightening regulations on tutoring: Surprising changes in teachers' income," many readers have contacted the editorial office to share the difficulties they are experiencing.

Reader T. Ha wrote: "With the ban on extra tutoring at school, teachers are taking students to outside centers, teaching each other. My children used to attend extra classes at school, according to regulations, for only 12,000 VND per 45-minute session. Now, my children pay from 70,000 VND to 100,000 VND for a 90-minute session at these centers."

As a result, the monthly cost of children's education has increased significantly, while people's incomes have not increased. This person suggested that if tutoring is banned, it should be completely prohibited.

Hanoi students during the 10th grade entrance exam. Photo: Nhu Y

Reader Mai Huynh commented, "Before Circular 29 on tutoring and supplementary classes was issued, parents paid 500,000 VND/month in tuition fees. When students transferred to the center, the fee increased to 600,000 VND/month. Parents had to pay more, while teachers refused to reduce their income."

Because all the extra classes take place outside of school, parents and students find it quite difficult to adapt. Reader NV Binh shared that his child, in 6th grade, sometimes has two classes in the afternoon according to the school schedule, and sometimes three. On days with two classes, students finish school at 3:00 PM and then have to walk quickly to the center for extra classes until 5:00 PM.

“In my child’s class, there are six students who don’t attend extra classes, including my child. Almost every day, the teacher encourages those who don’t attend to ask their parents to register them. My child told me about it, and seemed quite worried. At the center, the teachers always teach the material in advance. I don’t like the idea of ​​my child learning like that. I, along with the other five parents, felt like outsiders in the parent group for my child’s class,” Mr. Binh reported.

Speaking to a reporter from Tien Phong newspaper, a parent residing in Long Bien (Hanoi) whose child is in 6th grade said that less than a week into the new school year, their child was added to the teacher's extra tutoring group, under the pretext of solidifying foundational knowledge. In reality, the children had just gotten used to the new environment and hadn't had time to adapt before being drawn into the extra tutoring schedule. "We are very worried, but it's difficult to refuse because we're afraid our child will be singled out," the parent said.

Students at a junior high school in Ninh Binh province are having their regular class time.

If the principal doesn't give the green light, who would dare to break the rules?

When Circular 29 was issued, parents initially welcomed it enthusiastically, thinking that the time had come for their children to receive extra tutoring according to their needs. However, in reality, after six months of implementation, teachers had devised ways to circumvent the law, such as teaching across different classes or using a form of soft power to pressure parents and students into attending pre-arranged tutoring classes at centers.

Do school leaders know about this? A parent (from Dong Da ward, Hanoi) said that if school leaders are serious, it's rare for teachers to dare to "break the rules." Conversely, if a situation arises where many teachers in the same school try to circumvent the law, then it cannot be said that school leaders are blameless or did not give the green light.

Even in an email reply to the editorial office, a reader specifically complained about the principal of a school in Dong Hung ( Hung Yen province ) who, "Right at the beginning of the school year, made teachers hand out registration forms for extra classes for students."

And then, the parents' fight against negative aspects of tutoring and extra classes becomes an unequal battle. They are alone and completely at a disadvantage. Because teachers and schools are the ones who hold the grade books, create exam questions, and evaluate students.

On June 12th, the Ministry of Education and Training issued Circular 10, which regulates the delegation of authority, decentralization, and delineation of jurisdiction for the implementation of state management tasks by local governments at two levels regarding general education.

Accordingly, the authority to manage and inspect extracurricular tutoring activities conducted by individuals and organizations outside of schools belongs to the People's Committee at the commune level.

Leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training are also very enthusiastic about the new regulations on managing extracurricular tutoring, which came into effect on February 14th (the date Circular 29 took effect). Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son once stated that extracurricular tutoring is a part of the old-fashioned knowledge-provisioning system. Continuing to teach in the old way will prevent educational innovation and lead to failure.

However, the reality shows that after 6 months of implementing Circular 29, some cases of illegal tutoring have been discovered and handled, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. Due to the enormous profits from tutoring, teachers still intentionally violate the regulations.

Many parents assert that the nature of extra tutoring is not inherently bad; it's a legitimate need when parents want their children to study in a better, higher-quality environment. Only greed distorts this legitimate need, concealing it under the guise of "voluntary tutoring."

To achieve the goals set forth in Resolution 71 on breakthroughs in education and training by the Central Committee, the management of extracurricular tutoring will certainly not be limited to the regulations in Circular 29 in the coming period. This is because the circular still has loopholes that teachers can exploit and circumvent.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/phu-huynh-don-doc-trong-cuoc-chien-hoc-them-tu-nguyen-post1778511.tpo