Are lower secondary school students allowed to skip grades in Vietnam?

Are lower secondary school students allowed to skip grades in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clause 2, Article 28 of the Education Law 2019, the provisions on skipping grades are as follows:

Level of education and age requirements for K-12 education

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2. Cases in which students are allowed to skip grades or study at an older age than the age prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article include:

a) Students who intellectually develop early;

b) Students studying at an older age than the prescribed age in cases of grade repetition, students in regions with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions, students from ethnic minorities, students with disabilities, students who are underdeveloped physically or intellectually, orphans without a caretaker, students from poor households, returnee students from abroad, and other cases as prescribed by law.

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Additionally, according to Article 33 of the Regulations for Secondary Schools, issued together with Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT, the age of secondary school students is regulated as follows:

Age of secondary school students

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4. Students who are physically healthy or intellectually advanced may enroll before the prescribed age or skip a grade within the educational level. The assessment for each specific case is carried out in the following steps:

a) Parents or guardians submit a request to the school.

b) The principal establishes a survey and advisory council consisting of representatives of the school's leadership, the Parent-Teacher Association, and the teachers of the student's current class.

c) Based on the council's survey and advisory results, the principal reviews and makes a decision.

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According to the aforementioned regulations, students who are physically healthy or intellectually advanced can enroll before the prescribed age or skip grades within the educational level.

Moreover, the assessment for each specific case is carried out as follows:

Step 1: Parents or guardians submit a request to the school.

Step 2: The principal establishes a survey and advisory council consisting of representatives of the school's leadership, the Parent-Teacher Association, and the teachers of the student's current class.

Step 3: Based on the survey and advisory results of the council, the principal reviews and makes a decision.

Thus, according to the above legal provisions, lower secondary school students have the right to skip grades but within their educational level (for example, a 6th-grade student can only skip grades within the lower secondary school range).

However, the skipping grades of lower secondary school students must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the principal of the respective school.

Are lower secondary school students allowed to skip grades in Vietnam? (Picture from the Internet)

What are rights of lower secondary school students in Vietnam?

According to Article 35 of the Regulations for Secondary Schools, issued together with Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT, the student rights are as follows:

- Equal access to comprehensive education, guaranteed conditions related to time, facilities, hygiene, and safety for studying in class and self-study at home. They are also provided with information about their academic and disciplinary performance and have the right to utilize school equipment and resources for educational, cultural, and sports activities as prescribed.

- Respect and protection, fair and democratic treatment, the right to appeal to the school and educational management levels regarding decisions affecting themselves; the right to transfer schools when there are justified reasons per current regulations; the right to study before the prescribed age, skip grades, study at an older age per Article 33 of the Regulations issued together with Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT.

- Participation in activities aiming to develop talents in academic subjects, sports, and the arts organized by the school if they meet all the conditions.

- Receipt of scholarships or other forms of support as stipulated for students under social policies, those facing life difficulties, and those with special talents.

- Right to transfer schools if they meet the conditions; the transfer procedure is carried out according to the regulations of the Minister of Education and Training.

- Enjoyment of other rights as stipulated by law.

What grade is a 13-year-old lower secondary school student in?

According to Clause 1, Article 28 of the Education Law 2019, the provisions are as follows:

Level of education and age requirements for K-12 education

1. The levels and age requirements for K-12 education are prescribed as follows:

a) Primary education is implemented over 5 school years, from grade one to grade five. The entry age for grade one is 6 years, calculated by the year;

b) Secondary education is implemented over 4 school years, from grade six to grade nine. Students entering grade six must have completed the primary education program. The entry age for grade six is 11 years, calculated by the year;

c) High school education is implemented over 3 school years, from grade ten to grade twelve. Students entering grade ten must have a junior high school diploma. The entry age for grade ten is 15 years, calculated by the year.

According to these regulations, the latest birth year and age calculation chart for the academic year 2024 is as follows:

Note: The age calculation in the table above applies to the academic year 2023-2024 and does not apply to cases of skipping grades or studying at an older age than prescribed.

lower secondary school students (grades 6-9) study for 4 school years, from grade six to grade nine. The entry age for grade six is 11 years.

Therefore, a 13-year-old lower secondary school student will be in grade 8.

* Note: This applies to cases of students studying at the legally prescribed age, without repeating grades, skipping grades, or other delays as stipulated by law.