Guidelines for Drum Beating to Inaugurate the New Academic Year 2024-2025 in Vietnam

Guidelines for Drum Beating to Inaugurate the New Academic Year 2024-2025 in Vietnam

Currently, the law does not regulate the activity of beating drums to inaugurate the new school year since this is a traditional activity that occurs annually on the first day of school.

Beating the drum to inaugurate the new school year holds the meaning of signaling the beginning of a new academic year.

According to Decision 2045/QD-BGDDT of 2024 on the Framework Plan for the academic year 2024-2025 for early childhood education, general education, and continuing education, issued by the Ministry of Education and Training on August 1, 2024:

- The earliest return to school date is one week before the opening ceremony. For first-grade students, the earliest return to school is two weeks before the opening ceremony.

The national student opening ceremony will be held on September 5, 2024.

After the speech ends, typically a guest with a title in the state apparatus, or at least the school principal, will perform the drum beating.

The drumbeat serves as a call for the "little soldiers" to enter a battle that lasts throughout the school year.

*Note: This information is for reference only.

Guidelines for Drum Beating to Inaugurate the New Academic Year 2024-2025 in Vietnam (Image from Internet)

When should the preparation plan for the new school year opening ceremony in Vietnam be completed?

Based on Article 2 of Decision 2045/QD-BGDDT of 2024, the time-frame plan for the academic year 2024-2025 in localities should be constructed according to the following principles:

- The time-frame plan for the academic year must ensure 35 weeks of actual study time (semester 1 has 18 weeks, semester 2 has 17 weeks).

- The plan must be suitable for the specific characteristics and practical conditions of the locality.

- Public holidays and Tet holidays are implemented according to the Labor Code and annual guiding documents.

- Teachers' annual leave is administered during the summer break or can be scheduled at other times of the year to align with the specific characteristics and the academic calendar of the locality.

- The academic plan should ensure synchronization within administrative areas, especially in schools with multiple educational levels.

Moreover, responsibilities of various agencies as per Article 3 of Decision 2045/QD-BGDDT of 2024 are as follows:

- The Chairperson of the People's Committee of provinces and centrally-run cities decides:

+ The time-frame plan for early childhood education, general education, and continuing education suitable to the local situation.

+ An early return to school date and an extended academic year by no more than 15 days compared to the provisions in Article 1 of this Decision to ensure the implementation and completion of the educational programs in cases of natural disasters or epidemics; for special cases, report to the Ministry of Education and Training before implementation.

- The Director of the Department of Education and Training:

+ Decides school closures in adverse weather conditions and natural disasters and schedules make-up classes; ensures teachers' rest time during the academic year.

+ Reports to the Ministry of Education and Training on:

++ The preparation for the academic year and the organization of the opening ceremony by September 10, 2024;

++ The summary of tasks, key solutions for the academic year 2024-2025, and results of the criteria for competition, proposing awards by June 25, 2025.

Thus, according to the Decision, the preparation for organizing the opening ceremony for the academic year 2024-2025 must be completed before September 10, 2024.

What grade will students in Vietnam start in for the 2024-2025 primary school year?

According to Clause 1, Article 28 of the Education Law 2019, the grade levels and age for general education are specified as follows:

Grade levels and age of general education

1. The grade levels and age for general education are defined as follows:

a) Primary education is conducted over 05 academic years, from first grade to the end of fifth grade. The age for students entering first grade is 06 years old, calculated by year;

....

Thus, according to the above regulation, at the start of the primary education in the academic year 2024-2025, students will begin from first grade (6 years old - the standard age).