Vietnam: Are lower secondary schools required to have a school library?

Are lower secondary schools required to have a school library?

According to the regulations stipulated in Article 42 of the lower secondary school, upper secondary school and multi-level school charter issued together with Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam:

Libraries

1. Every secondary school shall have a library. The library shall be organized and operate in accordance with standards for general education schools from the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. School libraries shall support learning, teaching and scientific research activities of students, teachers, officials and staff.

3. School libraries shall be arranged in a safe, scientific, friendly and lively manner and as suitable for psychophysiological characteristics of secondary school students. Schools are encouraged to build open libraries and create a separate reading space for their students. Capable schools shall develop electronic libraries.

4. Privatization of library development is encouraged.

The Regulation on lower secondary schools stipulates that lower secondary schools are required to have a library.

Are lower secondary schools required to have a school library? (Image from the Internet)

What are the conditions for establishing a library in lower secondary school?

As specified in Article 17 of Decree 93/2020/ND-CP of Vietnam's Government, the conditions for establishing a library in lower secondary school are as follows:

- Setting the goals of organizing and operating a library which are appropriate and fit into the functions and tasks specified in clauses 1, 2 and 3 of Article 15 in the Library Law 2019 of Vietnam; accepting target users, including teachers, learners and employees of education institutions and other persons, wishing to use libraries according to library's rules and regulations.

- Having the following available information resources:

+ Textbooks, teachers’ specialized books and reference books, meeting the needs of learners and teachers at educational institutions: Ensuring at least 04 volumes/student and 01 volumes/teacher, depending on subject groups;

+ Newspapers, magazines, educational maps and visual aids, audio and visual materials, e-books, and other types of documents, which are suitable for students' age, learning needs and teacher’s reference requirements; ensuring that, as a minimum requirement, materials providing information closely connected to the school's teaching and learning programs according to the list of materials approved by the Ministry of Education and Training must be processed according to the library's operational rules and regulations.

- Having library facilities and amenities conforming to the following requirements:

+ Being located at the center of an educational institution, providing facilitation for users, especially people with disabilities;

+ Having enough space for storing information resources, implementing library operations, reading service areas, working zones for librarians and meeting other needs concerning processing of other library-related services;

+ The reading space for library users must be at least 50 m2; connected with audio-visual rooms, computer labs, classroom bookcases. Open libraries and friendly reading spaces are encouraged;

+ Having facilities and equipment designed for operational and functional activities performed by librarians and meeting library users’ needs;

+ Ensuring the installation of specialized equipment and means designed for information resources preservation, security, fire safety and prevention purposes.

- Librarians must hold at least associate degrees in information - library or other majors provided that they manage to obtain certificates of completion of information – library professional training courses issued by competent authorities or organizations.

How many people work in the lower secondary school library?

According to Article 13 of Circular 20/2023/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam, the regulations on the staffing norms for professional shared job positions are as follows:

Staffing Norms for Professional Shared Job Positions

1. Library, office management positions:

a) Secondary schools with 28 classes or more in Region 3, or 19 classes or more in Regions 1 and 2; secondary ethnic boarding schools may have up to 2 staff members;

b) Secondary schools with 27 classes or fewer in Region 3, or 18 classes or fewer in Regions 1 and 2, may have 1 staff member;

c) Ethnic semi-boarding secondary schools may apply the staffing norms as specified for secondary schools in points a and b of Clause 1 of this Article based on the number of classes and actual conditions;

d) Schools for students with disabilities at the secondary level may have 1 staff member.

2. Clerical, treasurer, accounting positions:

a) Secondary schools and ethnic semi-boarding secondary schools may have up to 2 staff members;

b) Ethnic boarding schools, schools for students with disabilities at the secondary level, secondary schools with 40 or more classes, ethnic semi-boarding secondary schools with more than 200 students benefiting from semi-boarding policies may have up to 3 staff members;

...

Therefore, the number of staff members working in the library is as follows:

- Up to 2 staff members if the secondary school has 28 or more classes in Region 3, or 19 or more classes in Regions 1 and 2; secondary ethnic boarding schools;

- 1 staff member if the secondary school has 27 or fewer classes in Region 3, or 18 or fewer classes in Regions 1 and 2;

- Ethnic semi-boarding secondary schools may apply staffing norms based on the number of classes and actual conditions as specified in the above two regulations;

- Schools for students with disabilities at the secondary level may have 1 staff member.