Teaching and learning English and IC3 computer science at the center, is it necessary to teach and learn extra?

On February 14, Circular No. 29/2024/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training regulating extra teaching and learning took effect. Below are the answers to questions about whether teaching and learning English and IT at centers requires extra teaching and learning.

Is it considered "extra learning" for primary school students to go to English center?

An English teacher at a primary school asked: Circular 29 on extra teaching and learning, effective from February 14, 2025, stipulates that "no extra teaching is organized for primary school students, except for cases of arts, physical education, and life skills training". So, is it considered "extra learning" for primary school students to go to a center to learn English?

Dismissal time at a tutoring center in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

This teacher said that if, outside of working hours at school, she signs a contract to teach at an English center and the enrollment is entirely done by the center. The program she teaches at the English center follows different curriculums than the current textbooks, helping students obtain different English certificates. So is her extra work considered as participating in extra teaching and must comply with the regulations in Circular 29? And if, during the teaching process at this center, she is assigned to teach a class that includes students she taught at elementary school, will she be in violation?

Or a teacher who is teaching at a public primary school, in addition to working hours, teaches IC3 IT certificates at a center. Is this considered a teacher giving extra lessons according to Circular 29? If this teacher teaches the same students as those he is teaching at the primary school, is that okay?

Teaching English at a center is not considered "extra tutoring"

Responding to Thanh Nien reporter, Mr. Ho Tan Minh, Chief of Office of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, said: "Teaching English at centers focuses on practicing speaking, listening, reading, and reviewing for certificates such as Starters, Movers... not teaching knowledge in class, learning English here is to develop capacity. Therefore, teaching English at centers (including for primary school students) is not considered extra teaching."

Mr. Minh also emphasized the need to clearly understand the concept of extra teaching and learning. In Clause 1, Article 2 of Circular No. 29/2024/TT-BGDĐ dated December 30, 2024 of the Ministry of Education and Training regulating extra teaching and learning, it is defined: "Extra teaching and learning are additional teaching activities in addition to the time prescribed in the education plan for subjects and educational activities in the general education program, the continuing education program at the junior high school level, the continuing education program at the high school level issued by the Minister of Education and Training".

The Chief of Office of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City said: "When foreign language centers are granted a license to operate and organize teaching, they are not licensed to teach content in schools, but to teach English Starters, Movers, KET, PET..., according to another document, a different development skill, so it is not included in the main curriculum content."

"Foreign language centers in Ho Chi Minh City are licensed to operate education to teach practical English according to Circular 28 (Circular No. 28/2021/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training on promulgating the Continuing Education Program on Practical English). No foreign language center is licensed to teach English in the 2018 General Education Program. Therefore, if a foreign language center organizes teaching English in the 2018 General Education Program, it is violating the license," Mr. Ho Tan Minh added.

Students leave a tutoring center in Ho Chi Minh City.

Regarding the question of whether public elementary school teachers who teach IC3 certificates in addition to working hours at foreign language and information technology centers are considered extra teaching according to Circular 29, Mr. Minh said that this is not extra teaching or learning activities, because teaching IC3 is teaching skills, developing capacity and qualities for students.

IC3 is not part of the general education program, the center teaches students to get international certificates, to foster students' abilities and skills, and this is not teaching official knowledge.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/day-hoc-tieng-anh-tin-hoc-ic3-o-trung-tam-co-phai-day-them-hoc-them-185250210080441716.htm