Abolishing extra teaching and learning according to Circular 29: Need to take into account the factors of "timing" and "specificity" of regions
Instead of teaching extra classes to the general public, Circular 29 stipulates that extra classes in schools are only conducted with 3 groups of people and do not charge fees.
However, due to regional characteristics, this will lead to difficulties for many students and schools, affecting the quality of teaching.
Limit extra teaching and learning in schools
On December 30, 2024, the Minister of Education and Training signed and issued Circular 29/2024/TT-BGDDT regulating extra teaching and learning. Circular 29/2024/TT-BGDDT takes effect from February 14, 2025. Accordingly, with extra teaching and learning in schools, the Circular stipulates that extra teaching is only for 3 subjects: weak students; excellent students; students reviewing for final exams and does not charge fees. In addition, school teachers are not allowed to teach extra classes outside of school with fees from students who are assigned by the school to teach in class.
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the regulation that teachers are not allowed to teach extra classes for money to regular students studying at school will have a strong impact on both teachers and students.
At that time, parents will have less financial pressure, students will not have to compete to go to extra classes. Without extra classes in school, it will avoid the situation of "forcing" students to go to school, helping students have more time to study at home.
Receiving information about this Circular, many parents said they are looking forward to the new regulation coming into effect. A parent in Vinh city said: My child is studying in grade 11 at a public school and since grade 6, every year he has registered for extra classes at school. Although extra classes are not mandatory, if he does not register, it is "unsightly" because most students in the class attend them, on average they will attend 3-4 sessions a week. With such a schedule, almost every day of the week the children will have to study at school, and in the afternoon and evening they will have to attend extra classes outside. Thus, the schedule is too heavy, time-consuming and quite costly. Last semester, I paid more than 3 million VND for extra classes at school for my child.
However, there are also some parents who agree with extra tutoring at schools, because their children are managed, teachers teach closely to the students and the tuition is quite low.
The need for extra classes from parents and students is real. If the Ministry bans extra classes in schools, of course students will find ways to take extra classes outside of school, but where will they take extra classes?
Where else can we find facilities as good as those at school? Or does the ministry “create conditions” for children to be “confined” in a 20m2 room all day (morning and afternoon) without being allowed to go out to play (because if they do, it will be unsafe).
A parent in Nghe An expressed
For teachers, stopping extra classes also makes many people worried, especially for final grade classes.
As a teacher of grade 9, Ms. Hoang Thi Yen (Dien Thinh Secondary School) said: Every year, our Literature subject only has 18 extra sessions. Although the number is not much, it is extremely important. If we only study in class, we can mainly only teach knowledge in textbooks and give homework for students. In the extra sessions, teachers and students will have time to practice skills and improve knowledge, approaching the final exam review.
Need to take into account the "specific" factor
For a long time, in addition to primary schools, most secondary and high schools in the province have organized extra classes for students in the afternoon. The average tuition fee is from 20,000 - 40,000 VND/session, depending on each school and the number of lessons. The collection of extra classes in Nghe An is implemented according to Resolution No. 31/NQ - Provincial People's Council.
Through research, it is known that the tuition fee for each student in schools is much lower than the fee charged outside. For example, in Vinh city, the price of extra classes outside ranges from 80,000 - 200,000 VND/session/student. In other districts, the price of extra classes ranges from 35,000 - 50,000 VND/session/student.
Extra classes are now a necessity and without them, students will have difficulty completing their exams, especially the 10th grade entrance exam or the university entrance exam. Thus, compared to extra classes outside, extra classes at school will save a lot of money.
Teacher Phan Huu Tuc - Principal of Dien Thinh Secondary School (Dien Chau District) said: At our school, students will study 70 sessions per year for all subjects. However, the number of sessions for different subjects varies, the most are Math, Literature, English, on average each session students pay is only over 20,000 VND. If students study extra at school, they will benefit because the facilities are available, the teachers are selected from those with capacity and expertise, the school monitors the quality and has a commitment.
Dien Thinh Secondary School is located in the central area of Dien Chau district. According to the school's statistics, nearly 100% of students currently register for extra classes at school; the rest take extra classes outside, but not many because the tuition fees are higher and there are not many centers to study. Although located in a favorable area, Dien Chau town only has a few extra teaching centers with a small number of classes, operating on a small scale, meeting a very small part of the total number of students in the area. Teachers at the centers are mainly teachers from schools around the area and the tuition fees are often higher than studying at school (about 35,000 VND/session).
In the whole province, apart from Vinh city, Cua Lo town and some favorable areas, parents and students have many opportunities to choose teachers, classes and tutoring centers. The majority of students mainly choose to take extra classes at school. Extra classes are aimed at nurturing capable students, but in addition, they also provide tutoring for weak students to improve their knowledge.
From the above reality, banning extra teaching and learning in schools will lead to difficulties, especially for schools far from the center.
Sharing this, teacher Nguyen Thi Ha - Principal of Nguyen Xuan On High School (Dien Chau district) expressed her concern when Circular 29 was implemented in the second semester, when the 2025 High School Graduation Exam was only a few months away and this was the first exam to be implemented according to the new General Education Program.
We really felt very sudden because from the beginning of the school year, the school had built an educational plan, including a plan for extra teaching and learning.
We have also signed a commitment with all teachers and subject managers in all three grades on the quality of education. If the Circular is implemented at another time, such as the end or beginning of the school year, it will help schools be more proactive in the implementation process. In fact, for a school with a very high rate of students enrolling in top universities nationwide like ours, if students do not receive extra classes or do not have the opportunity to study beyond the curriculum, they will have difficulty approaching current exams.
Teaching and learning extra will partly help teachers earn more income through their own abilities and intelligence, but more importantly, it will help improve the quality of teaching at the school... When exams are still stressful, learning extra is an inevitable need and a legitimate desire of parents and students.
Teacher Nguyen Thi Ha - Principal of Nguyen Xuan On High School
With the above difficulties, now, after Circular 29 was issued, schools in Nghe An are confused about implementing teaching tasks in the second semester and preparing to "speed up" to prepare for exams at the end of the school year.
Regarding this content, before the Lunar New Year of At Ty, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long directed the Ministry of Education and Training, according to its functions, tasks and authority, to review, inspect and grasp information reported by the press on the above issues in order to promptly have appropriate solutions according to its authority and current legal regulations; and report to competent authorities on issues beyond its authority./.
