Privacy in education

In fact, in Vietnam, the protection of children's personal information, including their academic results, is clearly stipulated in legal documents. The Law on Children prohibits the publication or disclosure of children's private life information and personal secrets without the consent of children aged 7 and above, and of their parents or guardians. Decree 56/2017/ND-CP defines "academic results" as part of children's private life information. Similarly, in many countries, the right to privacy regarding academic achievements is protected by law; both schools and families have an obligation to protect this right.

In the documents of the Ministry of Education and Training , including Circular 27/2020/TT-BGDĐT regulating the assessment of primary school students and Circular 22/2021/TT-BGDĐT regulating the assessment of secondary school students, the humane spirit of "not comparing one student to another" is always affirmed; along with that is the requirement for assessment to promote student progress, valuing encouragement and motivation, not creating pressure, and not engaging in competition for grades...

The fact that National Assembly representatives proposed not publicly disclosing students' exam and test scores – something that is not allowed – is reminiscent of the 2019 incident when the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee issued a document requesting the city's education sector to study the abolition of student rankings within classes, causing a public outcry. Could this incident partly reflect the reality that, at the grassroots level, there are still some teachers and administrators who have not truly reformed their educational thinking, maintaining old methods and outdated concepts?

For many years, the education sector has been reforming student assessment towards developing qualities and competencies, helping students become more confident, proactive, and creative in their learning. However, some experts believe that for this spirit of reform to truly permeate every classroom and every teacher, one of the most important things is a correct understanding of the meaning of grades.

Grades are not the ultimate goal of education, but rather a feedback tool that helps teachers and students understand their current position and progress together. Student progress must certainly be prioritized over grades. To achieve this, teachers need professional development to be confident, independent, and flexible in assessing students, viewing each student with a humane, fair, and encouraging perspective.

Teachers also need to understand that feedback on learning outcomes is not simply about "announcing grades," but rather a process of encouragement, guidance, and support, helping students recognize their current position, identify areas for improvement, and build confidence in their own potential for progress. Only when teachers correctly understand and implement this spirit will feedback become a driving force nurturing student development.

Conversely, if teachers and education administrators remain limited in their understanding, do not fully grasp the regulations, and still hold onto outdated thinking, considering grades as the sole measure of success, then the practice of publicly disclosing results, comparing students, or exerting pressure through ranking will persist. This is similar to the notion of "sparing the rod spoils the child," inadvertently harming students and going against the educational goal of promoting their progress and happiness.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/quyen-rieng-tu-trong-hoc-tap-post756636.html