Hung Yen: Schools do not make uniforms and buy notebooks for students

Not organizing the sewing of uniforms, not buying notebooks for students, and limiting the use of reference books are quite drastic instructions from the Hung Yen education and training sector before entering the new school year. This is receiving the consensus of the majority of public opinion.

Illustration photo: VNA

At the recent meeting to deploy tasks for the new school year 2014-2015, Mr. Nguyen Van Tam, Director of the Department of Education and Training of Hung Yen, frankly requested that schools not do unnecessary work on behalf of parents, in order to avoid causing public outrage.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tam emphasized that when it comes to making uniforms, schools should let students' families make them themselves. Families with good conditions can make nice fabric, families with poor conditions can make normal fabric, as long as the students ensure the color, style and formality are appropriate for the age of the students. Schools absolutely must not let any student not dare to go to school because they do not have a uniform.

The same goes for notebooks and paper. Depending on the need, parents should buy them themselves, and schools should not take the lead. As long as the students have notebooks that are guaranteed to be not bad, there should be no pressure or negative rumors in public opinion.

The Director of the Department of Education and Training of Hung Yen also said that using uniforms effectively and practically, avoiding waste, expense, and becoming a "burden" for families before each new school year is very necessary and should be given attention by schools.

According to many teachers and parents in Hung Yen, in previous school years, although no governing body had issued regulations on students having to wear this type of clothes or use that type of notebooks, in many schools, parents were very tired of having to follow their own requirements. Especially when it comes to making uniforms, many schools required students to do so every year.

Mr. Tran Van B, whose child studies at Hung Yen High School for the Gifted, said that during the 3 years of study from grade 10 to grade 12, the school required uniforms every year, 2-3 sets each year, so they were not used up. Up to now, after finishing school, his child still has many new sets that have not been worn, so it is a waste. According to Mr. B, in 3 years of study, only 2 sets should be made, or depending on the need, but should not be forced, which will put pressure on poor families.

Not only uniforms, in previous school years, many schools in Hung Yen also issued "uniform" notebooks, which the school cooperated with printing facilities, with the covers printed with the school's photo and name. Many families had prepared enough notebooks for their children before the school year began, but after the opening day, teachers required them to buy notebooks according to the school's model to be "standard"! At that time, parents were scrambling to find more money to pay for new notebooks for their children, while the notebooks they had already bought had to be discarded. And to avoid the trouble of "not being able to buy notebooks that met the school's requirements," parents had to pay money to buy "uniform" notebooks.

According to some teachers in Tien Lu, Yen My, Khoai Chau districts and Hung Yen city, the fact that schools buy uniforms and notebooks for students has made many parents angry, claiming that the school and the supplier are profiting together.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai and many parents of students in Hung Yen city believe that following educational standards is right but must have limits, parents and students must have a certain amount of freedom in choosing clothes and school supplies. Schools should only advise parents and not force them to follow the anti-educational approach.

Due to the strong direction of the Department of Education, in the 2014-2015 school year, many schools in Hung Yen have significantly reduced the number of schools organizing the sewing of uniforms and buying notebooks for students. In addition, the Department's leaders have also paid attention to the issue of extra teaching and learning, and other fees collected outside of tuition fees, requiring schools to strictly implement them. Any violations will be handled according to regulations.

According to Vietnam+