Parents debate whether their children have to go to school on Saturdays: Department of Education and Training intervenes

(Dan Tri) - The 2025-2026 school year has just begun, and many parents at some schools in Ho Chi Minh City were surprised to receive a schedule that their children will study on Saturday mornings instead of just studying from Monday to Friday as before.

Family life changes when children go to school on Saturdays

Ms. Minh, a parent at Hoa Lu Secondary School, Tang Nhon Phu Ward, said that her 7th grader’s schedule this year has 4 additional classes on Saturday mornings, starting next week. In previous school years, her children only studied from Monday to Friday (morning and afternoon).

Secondary school students in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Hoai Nam).

“The newly announced schedule has changed my family's plans. Weekends are the time for families to go out, play sports or do other things,” said Ms. Minh.

This parent suggested that it is necessary to flexibly increase the number of classes from Monday to Friday afternoons because students finishing school at 3:45 pm is too early, and not all parents have the conditions to pick up their children at this time.

"Another way is that the school can arrange non-compulsory subjects and club activities on Saturdays for the convenience of students," said Ms. Minh.

Many parents of Lu Gia Secondary School, Phu Tho Ward also sent a petition to the school to reflect and propose a schedule so that their children do not have to go to school on Saturdays.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai, a parent of this school, shared that middle school students already study 2 sessions a day from Monday to Friday. If they study on Saturday mornings, they will lack time to rest, leading to fatigue, stress and reduced learning efficiency.

Weekends are also the time when many families spend time with their children participating in extracurricular activities, learning life skills, sports or resting, traveling for short periods. When children go to school on Saturdays, parents have to arrange to pick them up and drop them off, which is very inconvenient and difficult to arrange family activities on the weekend.

Students at Lu Gia Secondary School, Ho Chi Minh City, where parents complained about their children having to go to school on Saturdays (Photo: Hoai Nam).

Mr. Mai's son, a 9th grade student at Ngo Si Lien Secondary School, Tan Son Hoa Ward, also has 3 classes on Saturdays, while he only has 2 afternoon classes during the week.

Mr. Mai said: "If we increase the number of periods per day or add an extra afternoon, it will be more convenient for children to play, travel with their families... on the weekend."

Contrary to parents who wish not to go to school on Saturdays, Ms. Hang, a parent of a 9th grader at Hoang Hoa Tham Secondary School, Tan Binh Ward, said her family has been used to sending her child to school on Saturdays since previous school years.

What I care about is that the school arranges to ensure the number of lessons, the program and how my child does not have to attend extra classes. Because with different teaching and testing programs, the pressure of extra classes will be very high. If my child is absent on Saturday, I will still arrange for him to attend extra classes.

Consider being flexible when organizing classes on Saturdays.

The reason why many schools have adjusted their timetables and taught on Saturdays is because of the Ministry of Education and Training's regulations on teaching 2 sessions, with no more than 7 periods per day. Previously, schools were allowed to teach a maximum of 8 periods, but now they have to cut 1 period, so many schools have switched to Saturday mornings to ensure the number of periods.

The Ministry's regulations allow junior high and high school students to teach up to 11 sessions per week. Schools organizing classes on Saturday mornings is still in accordance with regulations.

Ms. Nguyen Thuy Ai, Principal of Lu Gia High School, said that the school has received information from parents about studying on Saturdays and has responded to parents.

According to Ms. Ai, the school has been teaching 2 sessions/day for the past 7 years. Previously, the school held 8 periods/week so the schedule could be arranged from Monday to Friday.

Currently, following the regulation of teaching 2 sessions/day of the Ministry of Education and Training with no more than 7 periods/day, the school does not dare to organize any extra 8th period in the week. Organizing according to the regulation of 7 periods/day is not enough during the week, so the school is forced to organize for students to study on Saturday to ensure comprehensive development of students' abilities. In addition to the 2018 program, there must be other subjects such as life skills, STEM...

Ms. Ai said that when their children enter 6th grade, parents must submit an application for their children to enroll at the school. The school fully discloses the 2-session/day curriculum.

Many families have difficulty sending their children to school on Saturdays (Photo: Hoai Nam).

According to Ms. Ai, changing the habit of not going to school on Saturdays has caused a lot of disruption and disruption to the weekend arrangements of many families. After discussions with the school, most parents have agreed, but there are still some parents who want their children not to go to school on Saturdays.

Ms. Ai also confided that when organizing classes on Saturdays, the school incurs additional costs for electricity and water, and all staff from the office, security, and janitors must also participate to serve the teaching. The school's operating costs therefore increase significantly.

Mr. Nguyen Bao Quoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, said that for schools that have organized two sessions a day, Saturday morning classes will only be implemented when there is a need or desire from parents and students on a voluntary basis.

For schools that do not have the conditions to teach 2 sessions/day, the school will prioritize arranging classes on the other side of the week; only when conditions are truly not met will Saturday morning classes be arranged to ensure implementation of the 2018 General Education Program.

Organizing teaching on Saturdays needs to be considered and flexibly weighed based on the conditions of facilities, teaching staff and practical needs of each school and each locality.

Mr. Quoc added that this morning (September 10), the Department had an online meeting with all high school principals and cultural and social officers of 168 wards and communes in Ho Chi Minh City (including the three old areas of Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau) about the school's education plan for the 2025-2026 school year. At this meeting, the Department gave specific instructions to units on teaching 2 sessions/day.

The viewpoint of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City when implementing 2-session teaching/day is to ensure the scientific implementation of the general education program; reduce learning pressure for students; improve the quality of comprehensive education...

However, implementation must be appropriate to the physical conditions and teaching staff of each locality and each school.

Mr. Nguyen Bao Quoc emphasized that the implementation of teaching 2 sessions/day will be flexibly implemented, ensuring compliance with regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Schools will base on actual conditions to develop school education plans including increasing tutoring time for underachieving students, nurturing excellent students as well as allocating appropriate time for educational activities, experiences and developing students' abilities and qualities.

Thus, the number of additional periods is not rigidly fixed at a specific number but depends on each level of education, each type of school and the practical needs of students, but must still be within the legal framework prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training.

*Parents' names have been changed

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/phu-huynh-tranh-luan-viec-con-phai-di-hoc-ngay-thu-bay-so-gddt-vao-cuoc-20250910134659819.htm