Questions about tutoring and extra learning are being asked a lot at this time.

On February 14, Circular No. 29/2024/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training regulating extra teaching and learning officially took effect. Up to now, there are still some concerns and questions from teachers and parents about this issue.

Below is a question from teachers, parents, and students about tutoring that is being asked a lot, waiting for specific instructions:

Is it considered extra teaching if an IT teacher teaches IC3 certificate at a foreign language IT center outside of school?

An IT teacher at a public primary school in Ho Chi Minh City asked: "In addition to working hours, I signed a contract and worked part-time at a foreign language and IT center. I was assigned to teach IC3 certificates. So, if I teach at this foreign language and IT center, will I be considered as teaching part-time according to Circular 29? And if during the enrollment process at the above center, the same student that I am teaching at the primary school applies to study IC3, will I be allowed to teach this student at the center?"

Extra teaching and learning is a real need of many students and teachers.

Are English teachers who teach Starters, Movers or IELTS certificates also called to teach extra classes?

Another English teacher at a public elementary school also asked the same question. This teacher said that if she did not work at school, she would sign a contract to teach at an English center and the enrollment would be entirely done by the center. The program she taught at the English center followed different curriculums than the current textbooks, helping students obtain different English certificates. So would her extra work be considered as participating in extra teaching and comply with the regulations in Circular 29? And if by chance, during the teaching process at this center, if she was assigned to teach a class that included students she had taught at the elementary school, would she be in violation? "I do not participate in the enrollment process, nor do I collect money from students. I only teach under a contract with the center, they pay me and I do not know how the center's enrollment process and tuition collection from students are," she said.

She also raised concerns 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 (referred to as Circular 29) which defines: "Extra teaching and learning are additional teaching and learning activities outside the prescribed time in the education plan for subjects and educational activities (hereinafter referred to as subjects) 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".

According to the current General Education Program, English is a compulsory subject for students from grade 3 onwards, but students in Ho Chi Minh City from grade 1 have been studying English at school according to the city's project. So if an English teacher from a primary school goes to teach English for an outside center, and teaches the same class as the first and second graders that he or she is teaching at school, will there be any impact? "Circular 29 stipulates that no extra classes are organized for primary school students, except in cases of arts, physical education, and life skills training. But now I see that the majority of students from primary school go to study foreign languages ​​(commonly English), so is this a violation?", the teacher wondered.

Students leave school at a tutoring center.

Education companies are also concerned.

A representative of education company A. located in Go Vap district, Ho Chi Minh City asked: "In our company, there is a creative writing skills class. We signed a contract with Ms. B., a public elementary school teacher. Our company recruits students and collects tuition. Teachers only teach. According to regulations, the company must publicize teachers, teacher information, tuition fees... so that students know and register. Because they know Ms. B. is a good teacher, many people registered to study. Among them, there are a few students who also study with Ms. B. at her school. Ms. B. is worried that if she continues to teach, she will violate Circular 29, so she is currently taking a temporary leave of absence from teaching. Our education company is also affected because if she does not teach, many remaining students will not register to study with other teachers, such as Ms. C. So I want to ask, if Ms. B. continues to work with our company, will she violate anything?"

Education department specialist raises questions about extra teaching and learning

An expert from the Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City raised with Thanh Nien reporters questions about extra teaching and learning that he did not understand from Circular 29.

Specifically the questions:

1. According to Clause 1, Article 2 of Circular 29, if you teach programs that are not included in the subjects of the general education program of that level, you do not have to teach extra classes. However, this can lead to centers (or teachers) creating their own courses to avoid it, but the content of the knowledge taught is similar and difficult to distinguish, but it cannot be considered a subject in the general education program.
   
2. For example, at the education center, teachers will prepare their own curriculum and documents to upgrade to teaching "skills", so that they are not considered to be teaching additional subjects in the general education program, but the level and requirements for knowledge imparted are only at the general level like normal subjects, just replacing the data with different textbooks. So, which agency or individual can determine when checking in practice whether it is a subject in the general education program or not? Are ward and commune officials qualified to determine whether or not there is additional teaching and learning? Does the education and training department have enough human resources and time to arrange to review similar situations without knowing whether or not there is additional teaching and learning?
   
3. At school, there is a physical education subject, in which there are a number of sports taught by teachers at different levels according to actual conditions. Then that teacher goes to work part-time at a sports center, where there are badminton, table tennis, tennis classes... Music and art teachers are similar. They also work part-time at centers that have piano classes, painting classes... So, is teaching at a center with these subjects considered part-time teaching, does it have to comply with Circular 29? If there are students from the teachers' primary, secondary, and high schools also studying at these centers, are the teachers free to teach their students?
   

On February 7, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City sent an official dispatch to the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City and the People's Committee of Thu Duc City, as well as districts, regarding the implementation of Circular 29 of the Ministry of Education and Training regulating extra teaching and learning. Accordingly, in the official dispatch of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, it stated that, based on Circular No. 29/2024/TT-BGDDT dated December 30, 2024 of the Ministry of Education and Training regulating extra teaching and learning; The Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City assigned the Department of Education and Training to preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies to advise the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to issue regulations on extra teaching and learning in the city.

The document also requires guidance and implementation of regulations on extra teaching and learning for schools, organizations and individuals under the management scope in the area; organize or coordinate with relevant agencies to organize inspections and examinations of extra teaching and learning activities in the management area; handle according to authority or propose competent agencies to handle violations.

Therefore, teachers, parents, students, educational companies as well as related units and organizations hope that the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City will soon issue specific instructions and regulations on extra teaching and learning in the city.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhung-cau-hoi-ve-day-them-hoc-them-dang-duoc-hoi-nhieu-luc-nay-185250207192042868.htm