More localities issue ban on extra tutoring

According to the Thanh Hoa Department of Education and Training, public educational institutions in the area must not violate regulations on extra teaching and learning; and must not organize regular classes. The maximum fee is 12,000 VND/student/class period (no more than 3 classes per week) for life skills education and extracurricular activities.

This Department also regulates the maximum fee for teaching English to preschoolers and primary school students is 12,000 VND/student/lesson with Vietnamese teachers; 30,000 VND/student/lesson with foreign teachers.

Department of Education and Training An Giang also requested the Head of the Department of Education and Training to direct primary school principals to organize propaganda and remind them not to organize extra teaching and learning in any form at facilities that keep and care for students.

Previously, Phu Tho issued an official dispatch to rectify extra teaching and learning activities, emphasizing the responsibility of leaders in management work, strictly prohibiting forcing students to take extra classes in any form.

The Department of Education and Training of this province also requires schools and teachers to absolutely not organize extra classes for students studying in the afternoon twice a day, or primary school students (except for cases of training in arts, sports, and life skills training).

Nam Dinh also strongly requested schools and teachers in the area not to organize extra classes, contrary to regulations. In which, it clearly stated the cases of not organizing extra classes: students who have been organized by the school to study 2 sessions/day; not to teach extra classes for primary school students, except in cases such as: training in arts, sports, life skills training, teaching English.

For the final grades of grade 9 and 12, teachers teach no more than 5 sessions/week, each session no more than 4 periods, and do not organize extra classes or tutoring on Sundays, holidays, and after 5:30 p.m. on weekdays.

"School leaders supervise extra-curricular teaching. If there are violations in extra-curricular teaching and learning, school leaders will be responsible."Nam Dinh Department of Education and Training stated.

At the beginning of the school year, many parents reported the proliferation of extra tutoring and learning. Teachers frankly asked parents to register their children for after-school tutoring at their home. The tuition for these extra classes is not small, ranging from 100,000 - 300,000 VND/session/student.

Although the Ministry of Education and Training and localities have repeatedly requested that teachers not teach their own students, many teachers still defy regulations to organize extra classes.

Ms. Le Khanh Phuong, a teacher at a famous primary school in Hanoi, said that extra teaching is becoming a problem, not only for grade 1 teachers but also for most other grades in primary schools. The teaching content is mainly tutoring and reviewing knowledge in class for students - the part that should be taught during regular hours.

During extra classes, teachers also give extra exercises for students to do in their class such as spelling, math exercises, reading exercises, etc.“However, if teachers are responsible and teach all the content of the curriculum in class, students do not need to take extra classes, it will only add pressure and stress to them after studying all day at school. Cramming an extra 1-2 hours will not help them study better. Extra classes only help students practice more skills, except for weak students who need extra tutoring.”Ms. Khanh said.

Also a teacher, Ms. Khanh understands the hardships and difficulties that the teaching profession is facing, when prices are rising, salaries are not enough to live on, so teachers are forced to "increase production" by teaching extra classes after hours to make a living. However, favoring students who go to extra classes over others in the class is wrong and should be condemned. This is tarnishing the image of teachers, creating a bad mentality that if students don't go to her extra classes, they won't be good, won't get high scores, the female teacher frankly assessed.

In March 2023, responding to voters about the growing popularity of extra teaching and learning despite the ban, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that some other regulations of Circular No. 17 are still in effect, such as: principles of extra teaching and learning, cases where extra teaching and learning is not allowed, and responsibilities for managing extra teaching and learning activities of localities and educational institutions.

Circular 17 also clearly states that teachers must not organize extra classes or study classes following regular classes; must not cut down on the content of the regular general education program to include in extra classes; must not use any form to force students to take extra classes... This Circular also stipulates: "Do not teach extra classes to students who have been organized by the school to study 2 sessions/day...".