How is Ho Chi Minh City teaching 2 sessions/day from grade 6 to grade 12?

Ms. Lam Hong Lam Thuy, Head of the GeneralEducation Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that in the 2023-2024 school year, the number of secondary and high school educational institutions that are qualified and organize 2 sessions/day is 93%.

Parents want their children to study 2 sessions/day

Ms. Nguyen Di Yen, parent of a 7th grade student at Nguyen Van Troi Secondary School, Go Vap District, said her child attends 2 sessions a day from Monday to Friday.

Ms. Ngoc Anh, whose child is in grade 11 at Gia Dinh High School, said that her child attends two sessions a day from Monday to Friday, and only attends in the morning on Saturday. She said that the second session of the day is scheduled by the school to include subjects prescribed in the Ministry of Education and Training's curriculum, skills subjects, and student clubs.

"I support my child to study 2 sessions/day from primary school to high school, because parents in urban areas have to work morning and afternoon. If the child only studies one session, the other session, I don't know where to send the child, leaving them at home alone is not safe, and if they go to school outside, they have to rush around to find a place and take them to and from school," said Ms. Ngoc Anh.

Students of Marie Curie High School, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City in an activity on Monday morning

PHOTO: THUY HANG

Ms. Phuong Hanh, whose child is in grade 10 at Marie Curie High School in District 3, said that because her house is far away, in District 7, at the beginning of the school year, she submitted an application to the school and was approved for her child to study as a boarding student, eat lunch and take a nap at school from Tuesday to Friday. This is also the 4 days a week that the child studies 2 sessions/day completely at school.

"On Monday morning, the child studies online, and on Monday afternoon, he has to go to school in person. On Saturday, the child doesn't have to go to school either, because on Saturday morning he studies online at home, and on Saturday afternoon he has a day off. I think this schedule is reasonable for students," said Ms. Phuong Hanh.

At Le Quy Don High School, District 3, Ms. Tuyet Nhung, a parent whose child is a former student of the school, who just graduated from high school in 2024, said: "My child studies 2 sessions/day from Monday to Thursday. On Friday, he only studies 1 session". Ms. Nhung's youngest child is in primary school, about to enter secondary school, she supports students studying 2 sessions/day from grade 6 to grade 12, so that parents can work with peace of mind and their children have the opportunity to access fair and equal education at school.

Secondary school students in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City participate in the program 'School Epic'

PHOTO: THUY HANG

The two most important things for teaching 2 sessions/day: Facilities and curriculum

On the morning of April 6, speaking with Thanh Nien Newspaper reporters, the principal of a secondary school with 955 students in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, said that all 955 students of the school study 2 sessions/day. Students of the school study from Monday to Friday, not on Saturday.

"I have been working at the school for the past 2 years and have started teaching 2 sessions/day for all students in all classes in the school, on weekdays. Before that, we only taught 2 sessions/day on some days," he said.

At the same time, this principal added that before Circular 29 on extra teaching and learning of the Ministry of Education and Training, when teaching 2 sessions/day, the second session was organized to review many subjects to prepare students for exams such as math, literature, English... When Circular 29 was implemented and took effect, the second session was adjusted to comply with the circular, which were subjects in the school program, fostering and developing students' capacity, helping students develop comprehensively.

"All parents want their children to study two sessions a day at school, so that parents can go to work, and their children can finish all their schoolwork and come home to rest in peace," said the principal.

"To implement 2-session teaching for all students from grades 6 to 12, the most important thing is to have adequate facilities and a curriculum that is fully legal. That is, schools are eagerly waiting for the Ministry of Education and Training's guidelines on 2-session teaching to be issued, I heard it will be in May 2025, so that 2-session teaching in schools can be easily organized and implemented. Only then will schools be able to implement it with peace of mind, and parents will be able to send their children to school without worrying about whether this teaching violates Circular 29 or not," said the principal of a secondary school in Binh Thanh district.

High school students in Ho Chi Minh City

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

What does the current 2018 general education program stipulate about teaching 2 sessions/day?

From the 2024-2025 school year, the 2018 General Education Program will be applied from grades 1 to 12. Regarding the duration of education at the primary level, the 2018 General Education Program clearly stipulates: "Implement teaching 2 sessions/day, each day arranging no more than 7 lessons; each lesson lasts 35 minutes. Educational institutions that do not have the conditions to organize teaching 2 sessions/day must implement the education plan according to the instructions of the Ministry of Education and Training".

At the secondary school level, the duration of education is regulated by the Ministry of Education and Training: "Each day has 1 session, each session does not have more than 5 periods; each period is 45 minutes. Qualified secondary schools are encouraged to teach 2 sessions/day according to the instructions of the Ministry of Education and Training".

The duration of high school education is regulated by the Ministry of Education and Training: "Each day has 1 session, each session does not have more than 5 periods; each period is 45 minutes. High schools that meet the conditions are encouraged to teach 2 sessions/day according to the instructions of the Ministry of Education and Training".

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tphcm-dang-day-hoc-2-buoi-ngay-the-nao-tu-lop-6-toi-lop-12-185250406095751156.htm