Implementing VNEN in Nghe An: Don't 'play ball' between parents and schools!

(Baonghean.vn) - The 2017-2018 school year is the third year that Nghe An has implemented teaching and learning according to the new school model (formerly known as the new VNEN school model) at the secondary level. However, there are still concerns and disagreements surrounding this policy among teachers, students and parents.

Please drop out... of VNEN

That is what happened at Hung Dung Secondary School 3 years ago, since the school was one of the first units in the province chosen to pilot teaching and learning the new school program at the secondary level.

Up to this point, this is also the school with the largest number of classes taught in the province with 4 grade 7 and 5 grade 8 with a total of 316 students. Previously, when the model began to be implemented at the school, the principal had repeatedly requested to temporarily not implement it at the school due to lack of adequate preparation. In fact, two years after the model was implemented at Hung Dung Secondary School, many parents applied to transfer their children to another school because they were afraid that the program did not ensure quality.

Petition of parents of Hung Dung Secondary School. Photo: MH

The difficulties are even greater when entering the 2017-2018 school year, according to "custom", the school will "welcome" students studying under the new school curriculum from primary school level. However, up to this point, although entering the new school year, the teaching and learning curriculum has not been determined yet.

Meanwhile, parents of students in grades 7 and 8 continued to submit petitions to the authorities. On August 24, 2017, in a petition to the Department of Education and Training, Mr. Dinh Van Cong wrote: "We represent 290/316 parents currently studying at the school, requesting to stop the teaching program according to the new school model at the school for the following reasons: inadequate facilities, too many students (over 35 students/class) and inconsistent textbooks".

Immediately after receiving this petition, the Department of Education and Training, together with the Vinh City Education Department, went to work and have a dialogue with parents at Hung Dung Secondary School to understand the thoughts and aspirations of parents and the school. However, the meeting has not yet yielded any results. Many parents are concerned that teaching and learning must be based on consensus and not forced. However, at Hung Dung School, the reality is going against the direction of the Ministry of Education and Training and the provincial leaders.

Crowded classrooms and inadequate facilities are the limitations that prevent teaching under the new school model at Hung Dung Secondary School from receiving approval. Photo: MH

Things began to change on September 7, after the Department of Education and Training responded in writing to the petition from the school’s parents. Although it has not yet confirmed whether or not the new school model will be implemented, the Department agreed to let the school’s board of directors seek opinions from teachers, parents and students on the textbook selection plan.

According to this plan, it can be understood that if the majority of parents choose the textbooks of the new school program, the school will continue to teach according to this program. Conversely, if the opinions choose the current textbooks, the school will return to teaching according to the current general education program.

Upon receiving this decision, Mr. Ninh Viet Tang, the school principal, could not hide his joy because more than ever he wanted the school to stabilize the program soon to implement effective teaching and learning, especially when the school year had been over for 2 weeks.

On the parents' side, when this information was released, many opinions and comments were shared. Mr. Nguyen Khac Lien, Vice President of the 8C Parents' Association, said: In my opinion, this should have been done years ago so that the children could study with peace of mind. We should not let the students do experiments because it will affect a whole generation and their future.

No “football” for schools and parents

At the end of the 2016-2017 school year, according to the Department of Education and Training, the entire sector had 33 schools implementing the new school model at the secondary level with 64 grade 6 classes and 65 grade 7 classes. Entering the 2017-2018 school year, up to this point, the Department has just conducted a review across the province, but the general trend of the number of classes and schools implementing the model may decrease.

At Le Thi Bach Cat Secondary School, Cua Lo town, this is the second year the school has implemented this model. However, the implementation has only stopped at 2 7th grade classes, a pilot since the previous school year. This school year, although there are 2 classes teaching under the VNEN model transferred from Nghi Thuy Primary School, the school has decided to "stop" teaching under the new school model for 6th grade students.

Regarding the reason, Ms. Phan Thi Thu Hai, Vice Principal of the school, said: During the enrollment season, we had a hard time explaining the new school model to parents and most parents expressed doubts about this program. When we did not receive consensus, the school decided not to implement it so that parents and students could study with peace of mind.

Group discussion time of 7th grade students, Le Thi Bach Cat Secondary School - Cua Lo Town. Photo: MH

As the head of the Social Sciences group and a Literature teacher, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang, homeroom teacher of class 7A - Le Thi Bach Cat Secondary School, also frankly pointed out the limitations of the new school program that made the program ineffective: That is, the facilities and equipment do not meet the requirements, the large number of students makes it difficult to thoroughly assess all students. With textbooks, the content is difficult to clearly divide, the theory and practice are separated, making it difficult to consolidate knowledge.

In addition, during the teaching process, because the program is not heavy on testing, each semester has only two tests (instead of 10 tests) like the current programs, so it does not properly assess students' abilities, and there is no motivation for students to strive. The work of keeping records and evaluating students is "heavy" and "cumbersome". Students have difficulty finding reference materials other than notebooks and textbooks.

The above limitations are also encountered in many other secondary schools that are piloting the new school program. The problem is that, although there are many concerns about the program, the Department of Education and Training has not yet organized a conference for the whole sector to collect opinions from the grassroots to discuss the implementation plan for this school year and the following school years. Instead, there are general instructions such as "proactively selecting some elements of the model to implement educational innovation" or having to implement "flexibly, not rigidly", making schools passive in the implementation process.

Despite being given priority, the facilities of the new school model classrooms at Le Thi Bach Cat Secondary School - Cua Lo town still do not meet the required standards. Photo: MH

Regarding this issue, Mr. Phung Duc Nhan, Head of the Department of Education and Training of Cua Lo Town, frankly stated: Innovation is inevitable but it requires adequate preparation, accurate and scientific assessment and evaluation. On the part of teachers, there must be assurance of methods, training, fostering and an accumulation process. In particular, in the direction process, it must be clear, and should not be directed in the style of "taking opinions" because parents and even students do not fully understand the program, do not have the expertise to choose, evaluate... and any opinions given will only be subjective and inaccurate.

Public opinion is also concerned that if the education sector does not soon have clear instructions, not only Hung Dung Secondary School but many other schools will have similar reactions and the solution will no longer be a matter of "one morning, one afternoon".

My Ha