Phu Tho pilots letting students take Saturday off

Today, December 19, the Phu Tho Department of Education and Training issued Document No. 1918/SGD&DT-GDTrH on piloting teaching 5 days/week and allowing middle and high school students to have Saturday off.

Accordingly, the province will pilot the program for grades 6, 7, and 8 at junior high school level; and grades 10 and 11 at high school level in a number of schools representing regions from the second semester of the 2024-2025 school year.

In particular, the pilot schools for grades 10 and 11 are: Viet Tri High School, Hung Vuong High School, Yen Lap Secondary and High School for Ethnic Minorities, Long Chau Sa High School, Phu Ninh High School, Cam Khe High School, Ha Hoa High School, Tam Nong High School, Thanh Thuy High School, Tan Son High School, Thanh Son High School, Yen Lap High School, Doan Hung High School and Thanh Ba High School.

For secondary school blocks, the education and training departments report and ask for opinions from the People's Committees of districts, towns and cities to direct and guide a number of qualified schools to pilot the program for grades 6, 7 and 8 from semester 2 of the 2024-2025 school year, each department will pilot at least 1 school.

According to the Phu Tho Department of Education and Training, the pilot program of organizing teaching 5 days/week (including teaching subjects, organizing educational activities during and outside of regular school hours) so that students have Saturday off aims to promote the initiative and creativity of schools in developing and implementing educational plans. At the same time, exploit and effectively use the school's infrastructure, equipment and teaching staff; limit the situation of extra teaching and learning; create conditions for teachers and students to have time to self-study, self-improvement, and participate in community and social activities.

Pilot schools must have the agreement and consensus of school administrators, teachers, staff, students, and parents; ensure proper and complete implementation of the main curriculum content according to regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training; not overload students and teachers, contributing to improving the quality and effectiveness of school education.

Secondary and high schools must have adequate facilities, teaching equipment, and teaching staff; and at the same time, develop a scientific and appropriate plan to organize teaching 5 days/week (including teaching subjects, organizing educational activities during and outside of regular school hours).

Departments of education and training, secondary education institutions, and continuing education institutions should widely disseminate information to officials, teachers, students, parents, and society about the pilot implementation policy, creating consensus and unity when implementing the pilot.