Parents still focus on achievements, extra tutoring is still negative

Mr. Thuong expressed the above opinion on February 10, in the midst of controversy over Circular 29 on extra teaching and learning issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.

The Deputy Minister of Education and Training said that the demand for extra teaching and learning is currently very large, but this is a complicated activity, both inside and outside of school. The Ministry issued Circular 29 to tighten management.

Specifically, schools are only allowed to teach free extra classes for 3 groups: students who have not yet passed; students who are good at studying; and final year students who voluntarily review for exams. Organizations and individuals who want to teach extra classes outside of school for a fee must register their business. Teachers are not allowed to charge for extra classes from their regular students.

The new regulation took effect on February 14. However, since last week, many schools and teachers have stopped offering extra classes, causing parents to worry about their children's academic and exam performance.

According to Mr. Thuong, this mentality affects the management of extra teaching and learning activities.

"The efforts of the education sector are not enough. We still need understanding, involvement, and supervision from parents and society," he said. "When parents are still concerned about their children's academic performance, are not satisfied just because their children do not attend extra classes, and do not fully see the role of family education outside of school, then extra teaching and learning still exist in a negative perspective."

Therefore, Mr. Thuong hopes that parents will not consider scores as pressure but cooperate with schools and teachers to make their children's learning easy and true to its nature.

"We must start from the nature of education, especially for students, to give them back their childhood so that every day at school is a happy day," said the Deputy Minister.

With schools and teachers, Mr. Thuong shared about the difficult teaching conditions, large class sizes, and the difficulty of tutoring and individualizing each student. However, he emphasized that with the tradition of teachers, teachers have the responsibility to teach and test students to form qualities and abilities, meeting output standards.

If students are still weak and confused in preparing for the transfer exams and high school graduation exams, the school and teachers also have the responsibility to provide support.

"When we determine such responsibility, other problems will no longer be as heavy," according to Mr. Thuong.

Regarding the opinion that not teaching extra classes reduces teachers' income and motivation, Mr. Thuong affirmed that many preschool teachers, in remote areas or in many subjects who have never taught extra classes, are still dedicated and passionate about their profession.

"Recently, when extra teaching and learning appeared, some negative factors appeared, many good teachers also had to suffer bad reputation and injuries, so the new regulation also aims to protect the dignity of the teaching profession."

The ministry's leaders said that there will be solutions to improve the capacity, teaching methods, and responsibilities of teachers, and promote students' self-study ability. Testing, evaluation, and exams must also be innovated; no riddles, no deviations from the curriculum so that students can pass without extra classes. He noted that localities should improve facilities and increase the number of schools and classes teaching two sessions a day.

In addition, the ministry will strengthen inspection and examination; promote and mobilize teachers' sense of self-respect and self-esteem so that they can say "no" to illegal extra teaching; and at the same time, have policies to ensure teachers' livelihoods.

The ministry's view is to aim for schools that do not have extra classes or tutoring. Instead, after regular school hours, students have time and space to play and participate in activities to comprehensively develop their personality, lifestyle, sense of responsibility and ability to integrate into society.

"Managing extra teaching and learning is not only a policy issue but also a change in social awareness," said Mr. Thuong.