Many ways to manage extra teaching and learning

"Circumventing the law"

According to a quick survey by Hai Duong Newspaper reporters in some localities such as Hai Duong City, Kim Thanh, Thanh Ha, Gia Loc districts, most teachers who used to teach extra classes outside of school are now "inactive". Many teachers have informed parents to temporarily stop teaching extra classes since the Lunar New Year.

Some teachers said they are also looking into it because they do not fully understand Circular 29. In particular, if they want to teach extra classes outside of school, they must report to the principal according to regulations, so many teachers have stopped teaching extra classes at home and are waiting to see what happens, as well as looking for a center to teach for hire according to regulations. On the other hand, when the province has not yet issued instructions on implementing regulations on extra classes and tutoring, many principals may not agree to let their teachers teach extra classes outside of school.

However, there are still teachers who cannot afford to delay their students' studies. In Hai Duong City, there are teachers who still announce that they will be teaching extra classes at home. However, according to Circular 29, teachers in public schools are not allowed to organize or manage extra classes, which means they are not allowed to register their business. Therefore, this teacher announced that he will be teaching for hire for a center located at his home and is completing legal procedures. This will probably be a popular extra-class teaching model that many teachers will "circumvent the law" in the near future. However, the tuition fee for this form of extra classes may be higher than before because teachers have to pay an additional portion of the cost to the center.

A teacher in Hai Duong City has also informed students to change their previous home study location to a center. Another teacher has switched to online teaching... Circular 29 also stipulates that teachers are not allowed to teach extra classes outside of school and collect money from students they are teaching at school. However, it will be difficult to avoid teachers coordinating to "dodge" and cross-class students to teach extra classes.

After Circular 29 was issued, a number of organizations and individuals registered their businesses related to the education sector at the Hai Duong Department of Planning and Investment. Many enterprises have added business lines related to the education sector to organize extra classes.

According to a quick survey by reporters, Hai Duong has had centers recruiting students to teach cultural subjects at secondary and high school levels, but not many. The reason is that the centers are completing legal procedures according to regulations. Another part is that they may be waiting for information that Circular 29 may be amended in the near future to suit the reality, so they have not ventured into widespread investment.

In Ninh Giang district, parents received a flyer with recruitment information from a company with a facility 1 in Tan Phong commune and a facility 2 near the gate of Quang Trung High School. Tuition fees range from 40,000 - 50,000 VND/session (depending on the duration). The flyer clearly states the names of teachers for each subject; students do not register the teachers who are directly teaching in the class.

After many days of searching on social networks, a parent in Hai Duong City also found a tutoring company. This company recruits students to teach math, literature and English from grades 6 to 12 at some facilities in Cam Thuong and Binh Han wards. Classes are 2 afternoons/week; tuition fees are negotiated with parents.

Parents are "red-eyed" looking for teachers for their children

Most public school teachers who previously taught extra classes outside of school have temporarily stopped teaching; there are not many centers recruiting students to teach extra classes… causing many parents to struggle to find places for their children to study.

Accordingly, the model of hiring tutors to teach children at home or online is quite popular. Tutors are mostly students from some universities in Hai Duong City or university graduates looking for jobs.

Ms. NNH in Hai Duong City said that she searched “red-eyed” to find a satisfactory student tutor in Hai Duong City. The family did not want to interrupt her child’s studies, so while waiting for the previous tutor to give specific information, she immediately looked for a home tutor.

Ms. LTT, whose child is in grade 6 in Ngoc Chau ward (Hai Duong city), said she has not found a place for her child to take extra classes. She does not want to find a tutor because her child has average academic performance, but asking the teacher to teach her in class is still the most effective because the teacher will know her child's limitations and make up for her knowledge. "My child does not take extra classes at school in the afternoon, I do not know how to handle it," Ms. T. said.

From another perspective, some students and parents are happy that they do not have to take extra classes at school in the afternoon and for the first 1-2 weeks, they do not have the need to take extra classes outside of school. The afternoon will give their children a chance to rest and develop their soft skills. Some parents think that it would be great if schools still organized cultural, artistic, and sports clubs for their children to join with their friends in the afternoon.

Schools have also announced that students in grades 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11 will not have afternoon classes at school from February 14; parents should strengthen management and encourage their children to promote the spirit of self-study at home. Schools have asked teachers to closely coordinate with parents, support and assign homework to students.

Students in grades 9 and 12 will continue to take extra classes at school to review for exams. Schools are completing procedures according to regulations to implement such as receiving applications for extra classes from students in grades 9 and 12; applications for free tutoring from teachers; adjusting the education plan... to carry out review work for final year students.