Proposal to review the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Training for not compiling a set of textbooks

On behalf of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the National Assembly Chairman signed a resolution on thematic supervision of the implementation of Resolution 88/2014/QH13 and Resolution 51/2017/QH14 of the National Assembly on innovation of general education programs and textbooks.

Clarify responsibility for mistakes in history

The resolution assesses the implementation results of the resolutions in the 2014 - 2022 period, and points out the limitations, tasks and solutions when implementing the innovation of general education programs and textbooks.

The National Assembly Standing Committee requested to review the responsibility of organizations and individuals involved in "not complying with Resolution 88/2014/QH13 on the content "The Ministry of Education and Training organizes the compilation of a set of textbooks" before the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 122/2020/QH14".

The resolution clearly pointed out the shortcomings when the Ministry of Education and Training failed to compile a set of textbooks according to the provisions of Resolution 88, and failed to fully fulfill the State's responsibilities, especially in managing, updating, and developing general education content.

Management and regulation of textbook prices, implementation of social policies for certain subjects and localities.

The experimentation of textbooks has not been given due importance, is short-lived, and does not meet requirements on scale and quality.

The assessment, reception and editing of textbooks are not strict, leading to errors in content in 18 textbooks, especially Vietnamese textbooks for grade 1, natural science textbooks for grade 6, and history textbooks for grade 11.

Supplying and distributing textbooks still has many shortcomings, going through many intermediaries. There is a local shortage of some books before the new school year...

Vietnam Education Publishing House has committed violations in printing and publishing textbooks, and a number of organizations and individuals have been prosecuted.

Regulations on textbook selection in Circular 25 of the Ministry of Education and Training are not strict, leading to inconsistent implementation methods among localities, creating loopholes for profiteering and unfair competition...

In addition, the National Assembly Standing Committee also pointed out that the responsibility for errors in the history subject in the 2018 General Education Program also needs to be clarified.

The National Assembly Standing Committee determined that the Ministry of Education and Training is primarily responsible for comprehensively advising on the implementation of general education reform.

On the shortcomings and limitations in the construction, experimentation and appraisal of programs and textbooks; failure to organize the compilation of a set of textbooks; the prices of textbook sets have high discount rates; guidance on selecting textbooks in general education institutions.

Violations in printing and publishing textbooks; projects supporting innovation of programs and textbooks, slow implementation progress, low disbursement rate, errors and shortcomings in management.

Checking and inspecting the socialization of textbook compilation

One of the tasks set forth by the National Assembly Standing Committee in Resolution 686 is to propose that the National Assembly consider and decide on the policy of continuing to implement the provisions of Resolution 88 on assigning the Ministry of Education and Training to organize the compilation of a set of textbooks.

Along with that, according to the National Assembly Standing Committee, it is necessary to study and consider the mechanism and policy of exempting royalties for publishing textbooks in which the State is the representative of the copyright owner.

Conduct inspections and audits of the socialization of textbook compilation, the process of compilation, appraisal, publication, printing, distribution, and selection of textbooks nationwide, especially the use of textbook distribution costs.