Amending Circular 29: Proposing the Department Director to decide to teach more than 2 extra periods/week

The above content is included in the Draft Circular amending and supplementing Circular 29/2024/TT-BGDDT dated December 30, 2024 regulating extra teaching and learning, which is being sent by the Ministry of Education and Training to a number of Departments of Education and Training for comments.

Specifically, the draft Circular amends Point c, Clause 4, Article 5 as follows: "Each subject is organized to teach extra classes for no more than 2 periods/week. Except for special cases considered and decided by the Director of the Department of Education and Training upon the proposal of the Principal or Director or head of the school (hereinafter referred to as the Principal)".

Circular 29, issued by the Ministry of Education and Training in February, has caused much controversy with its strict regulations on tutoring activities in schools. Specifically, this circular limits tutoring in junior high and high schools to only 3 groups of students (including those who have not achieved the required level, those who are fostering excellent students, and those who voluntarily review for exams at the end of the year) and requires it to be free of charge.

Notably, Circular 29 also "rigorously" stipulates that each subject can only be taught extra classes for no more than 2 periods/week.

As soon as this regulation came into effect, many teachers and parents said that the limit of 2 periods/week was not enough to improve the ability of weak students or to deeply nurture good students.

Currently, the Ministry of Education and Training has planned to loosen this limit in the draft revised circular, expanding the legal framework and authority for the Departments of Education and Training to allow educational institutions to organize more than 2 extra classes per week for each subject.

The principal of a school in Hung Yen said that Circular 29, issued previously, had a strict limit of 2 periods per week, sometimes causing difficulties for schools that needed to enhance knowledge or review in depth for students.

This person commented that this is an appropriate regulation, allowing schools to proactively adjust their extra-curricular teaching plans based on the actual needs of students and specific local conditions, instead of applying a rigid limit to all cases.

The draft also abolishes regulations on the responsibilities of district/county People's Committees and Departments of Education and Training; at the same time, strengthens the role of commune-level People's Committees in implementing regulations on extra teaching and learning after implementing two-level local government.

Regarding extracurricular teaching facilities, the draft also requires more information to ensure transparency in operations.

The Ministry of Education and Training requested the Departments of Education and Training to direct general and continuing education institutions to organize comments on the draft and send a summary of comments in writing to the Ministry of Education and Training before December 7.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/sua-thong-tu-29-de-xuat-giam-doc-so-quyet-dinh-day-them-qua-2-tietuan-20251203003009975.htm