Vietnam: Compilation of textbooks for ethnic minority languages used in Grade 2 in general educational institutions

Who have the authority to approve Grade 2 textbooks?

Pursuant to Article 18 of the Primary School Charter issued together with Circular 28/2020/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam, the following regulations are as follows:

Textbooks, teaching equipment, reference materials, and local education documents​

1. Primary schools use textbooks approved by the Minister of Education and Training and selected and decided for use by the provincial People's Committee in the teaching and learning process within the primary school in the local area; teachers and students use textbooks for teaching and learning activities to achieve the objectives, educational contents, and quality and competency requirements stipulated in the primary education curriculum; the primary school must promptly and fully provide information about the textbooks used at the school for students and their families.

2. Teaching equipment used in schools must be from the minimum teaching equipment list issued by the Ministry of Education and Training and other teaching equipment as stipulated by the general education program.

3. The school organizes the selection and provision of reference publications for teachers' teaching and research activities in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training; teachers are encouraged to use reference publications to enhance the quality of education. No organization or individual is allowed to force students to buy reference materials.

4. Local educational materials are commissioned and organized for compilation and appraisal by the provincial People's Committee to meet the needs and be appropriate to the local characteristics, as required by the primary education program’s goals, contents, and are approved by the Minister of Education and Training.

Therefore, grade 2 textbooks for primary school students are approved by the Minister of Education and Training.

Compilation of textbooks for ethnic minority languages used in Grade 2 in general educational institutions (Image from the Internet)

Compilation of textbooks for ethnic minority languages used in Grade 2 in general educational institutions​

The Ministry of Education and Training issued Decision 4335/QD-BGDDT of 2022 approving the Grade 2 Ethnic Minority Language textbooks for use in general education institutions, as follows:

Who have the authority to select textbooks for Grade 2 primary school students?

According to Clause 1, Article 32 of the Education Law 2019 of Vietnam, textbooks of general education are regulated as follows:

Textbooks of general education

1. Textbooks of general education are regulated as follows:

a) Textbooks must implement programmes of general education, concretizing the requirements on educational objectives and contents, on students’ quality and capacity as defined in programmes of general education; direct teaching methods and methods of assessing and evaluating education quality; contents and formats of textbooks shall not carry prejudices based on ethnicity, religion, profession, gender, age and social status; textbooks may be in the printed, Braille or electronic forms.

b) Each subject shall have one or several textbooks; implement private sector involvement in textbook compilation; textbook publication shall be in compliance with the law;

c) Provincial People’s Committees shall decide selection of textbooks for consistent use in institutions of general education in their localities as regulated by the Minister of Education and Training.

d) Local educational materials shall be designed by provincial People’s Committees to meet the needs and characteristics of their localities, be appraised by provincial review councils for appraising and approved by the Minister of Education and Training.

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In Article 18 of the Primary School Charter issued together with Circular 28/2020/TT-BGDDT, regulations on the selection and use of textbooks in teaching and learning processes in primary schools are also stipulated.

Thus, according to the regulations of the Minister of Education and Training, the provincial People's Committee decides on the selection of Grade 2 textbooks for stable use in general education institutions in the local area.