Hanoi requires schools not to insert joint teaching into regular school hours.

“Schools are absolutely not allowed to insert joint teaching into the main curriculum if the class does not have 100% of students voluntarily registering to participate.”

This is the request of the Hanoi Department of Education and Training, stated by Mr. Dao Tan Ly, Head of the Primary Education Department, at the Conference on deploying tasks at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year organized by the Hanoi Department of Education and Training this morning, October 5.

According to Mr. Dao Tan Ly, the Ministry of Education and Training stipulates that the main curriculum for grades 1 and 2 is 25 periods/week, for grades 3 is 28 periods/week, and for grades 4 and 5 is 30 periods/week. The standard for primary school teachers is 23 periods/week. Each class period for primary school students must not exceed 35 minutes. The main curriculum periods must be implemented by the school, and cannot be cut or reduced. The school must assign teachers to fulfill the teaching period quota. When the program and teacher quota have been fully implemented, and there is free time, then extracurricular activities can be organized.

The Hanoi Department of Education and Training requires the education and training departments of districts, towns and cities to thoroughly inform each school that organizing extracurricular activities must ensure the spirit of voluntariness. School principals are responsible for surveying and synthesizing the need to participate in extracurricular activities, and developing plans to implement extracurricular activities.

Schools can offer a lot of content and programs, but they should not let students choose all of them. Schools should recommend that students choose 1-2 contents to ensure that they are within their ability, not putting pressure on them and causing difficulties for their parents.

The situation of schools inserting joint classes into regular school hours has been going on for many years, causing difficulties for parents and students. The Ministry of Education and Training has issued a document requesting the Departments of Education and Training to review and rectify, ensuring that joint teaching must be voluntary.