Are extra classes for primary school students allowed in Vietnam?

Are extra classes for primary school students allowed in Vietnam?

Under Article 4 of Circular 29/2024/TT-BGDDT (effective from February 14, 2025), the cases where extra classes in Vietnam are not allowed are:

Cases where extra classes in Vietnam are not allowed

1. Extra classes for primary school students must not be organized, except in cases of training in arts, sports, and life skills.

2. Teachers currently teaching at schools are not allowed to offer external extra classes with fees to their students according to the school's educational plan.

3. Teachers from public schools are not allowed to participate in managing or operating external extra classes but may be involved in teaching extra classes.

Thus, from February 14, 2025, extra classes for primary school students are not allowed in Vietnam, except for training in arts, sports, and life skills.

Are extra classes for primary school students allowed in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

In Vietnam, are individuals without a pedagogy diploma allowed to teach external extra classes?

Previously, Article 8 of Circular 17/2012/TT-BGDDT (document expired on February 14, 2025) had several requirements for individuals teaching or organizing external extra classes:

- Meeting the qualification standards set for each education level according to the Education Law.

- Being in good health.

- Not being under disciplinary action, criminal investigation, serving imprisonment, community sentence, under supervision, subjected to educational measures at the commune level, or placed in medical facilities or educational institutions; not being disciplined by removal from office.

However, these requirements were abolished by the Ministry of Education and Training in Article 1 of Decision 2499/QD-BGDDT 2019.

Currently, under Article 6 of Circular 29/2024/TT-BGDDT (effective from February 14, 2025), regulations on external extra classes are as follows:

External extra classes

1. Organizations or individuals providing external extra classes with fees for students (hereinafter referred to as extra class centers) must fulfill the following requirements:

a) Register the business in accordance with the law;

b) Publicly disclose on electronic portals or post at the location of the extra class center regarding the subjects for which extra class is organized; the duration of extra class for each subject according to each grade; the location, form, and schedule of extra class sessions; the list of teachers of extra classes and the fees for extra class before enrolling students in extra classes (according to Form No. 02 in the Appendix attached to this Circular).

2. External extra classes must ensure good moral character and possess the professional capacity suitable for the subject of extra class.

3. Teachers teaching at schools who wish to provide external extra classes must report to the Principal or Director or head of the school (hereinafter referred to as the Principal) regarding the subject, location, form, and schedule of their extra classes (according to Form No. 03 in the Appendix attached to this Circular).

Thus, according to current regulations, individuals teaching external extra classes are not required to hold a pedagogy diploma but must meet the following requirements:

- Have good moral character;

- Possess professional capacity suitable for the subject of extra class.

What are the rules of external extra classes in Vietnam?

Under Article 3 of Circular 29/2024/TT-BGDDT, rules of external extra classes in Vietnam are stipulated as follows:

- Extra classes are only organized when students wish to attend extra classes and have consent from parents or guardians (hereinafter collectively referred to as parents). Schools, organizations, or individuals organizing extra classes are not allowed to force students into extra classes in any manner.

- The content of extra classes must not contravene the regulations of Vietnamese law, and must not bear biases regarding race, religion, occupation, gender, or social position. There shall be no omission of educational content according to the school's educational plan to include in extra class sessions.

- The purpose of extra classes must contribute to the development of students' qualities and abilities; it must not affect the organization of the school’s education program or the implementation of the subject curriculum by teachers.

- The duration, time, location, and form of organizing extra class sessions must be suitable to the psychological and physical condition of the age group, ensuring students' health; must comply with the legal regulations about working hours, overtime, and other relevant legal regulations concerning security, order, safety, environmental hygiene, and fire prevention in the area where extra classes are held.