Why don't schools stop tutoring immediately after the "ban" regulation was issued?

(Dan Tri) - The Ministry of Education and Training believes that the fact that schools did not promptly adjust their teaching plans at the time Circular 29 was issued and suddenly stopped extra teaching has affected the psychology of students and parents.

Circular 29 regulating extra teaching and learning was issued on December 31, 2024. On January 3, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) officially announced it to the public. That was the time when high school students were reviewing for the final exams of the first semester.

The new regulation contains many contents that have never appeared in the draft Circular that the Ministry asked for public opinion in August 2024.

These include regulations prohibiting the collection of fees for extra classes in schools; prohibiting extra classes in schools for students in grades 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11 unless they are weak students or are training excellent students; and prohibiting teachers from collecting fees for extra classes from regular students.

"Those are prohibitions that no school can foresee," a high school teacher who asked to remain anonymous shared with Dan Tri reporter.

"The Circular was issued right when students were studying for their final exams. If it was said to stop at that time before it was due, then probably no school would do it. If it was stopped at that time, wouldn't the psychology of students and parents be affected?", the teacher asked.

Candidates for the 2024 high school graduation exam (Photo: Nam Anh).

Before Circular 29 took effect, Dan Tri reporters surveyed a number of junior high and high schools in Hanoi, Hai Duong , and Quang Ninh. Most junior high schools stopped extra classes right after the end of the first semester, that is, before the Lunar New Year 2025. Meanwhile, high schools informed students that they might stop extra classes after Tet.

"In my locality, schools and homeroom teachers have informed students about the plan to stop extra classes from February 14. There was no sudden stop without a prior plan, and students and parents were not aware of the previous plan," the teacher affirmed.

Another teacher shared: "Psychologically, not only students and parents but also teachers and schools were surprised. The most surprising thing was that the new regulations on extra teaching and learning were applied right from the second semester of the school year, when 9th and 12th grade students were preparing for their final exams.

The disruptions are mainly felt by this group of senior students, especially in rural areas, as their education is interrupted without any alternative as there are no licensed tutoring centers outside the school.

In the more than one month from the time Circular 29 was issued until it took effect, the Lunar New Year holiday interrupted for about 2 weeks. Many schools are waiting for guidance documents from the Department, also hoping that the Circular will adjust inappropriate content, such as not being allowed to review widely with students in grades 10 and 11.

That's why schools don't stop tutoring immediately.

Furthermore, it is impossible not to mention that the Departments of Education and Training issued documents guiding the implementation of Circular 29 too late, mostly after the Lunar New Year. Some localities issued them only 3 days before the Circular took effect.

As of February 14, some high schools in the suburbs of Hanoi have completely stopped tutoring, including for 12th graders who are taking extra classes for the high school graduation exam.

But just a week later, the tutoring schools returned to teaching after being asked by the Ministry's leaders not to "lax in supporting students in studying and reviewing for exams."

Teachers are required to sign a form to volunteer to teach extra classes. Tutoring in schools for 12th graders continues but without payment. Teachers are not paid because the school has no internal funding to support them.

In the announcement summarizing 1 month of implementing Circular 29, the Ministry of Education and Training pointed out 3 existing contents. In particular, the Ministry stated that there are still localities that are slow to issue guidance documents, leading to confusion in implementation.

The direction for educational institutions to adjust their school's educational plans to comply with the Circular's regulations in some places was not timely and ready from the time the Circular was issued, leading to the sudden cessation of extra teaching in schools, affecting the psychology of students and their parents.

In addition, there are objective issues such as parents and students relying on schools and teachers because they do not have enough time and knowledge to tutor their children; parents expecting high academic performance from their children; pressure from exams; students not yet having the ability to self-study... also create concerns when Circular No. 29 is implemented.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/vi-sao-cac-truong-khong-dung-day-them-ngay-tu-khi-co-quy-dinh-cam-20250315233117356.htm