Vietnam: What is a pet rock? Can lower secondary school students play with pet rocks during class?

What is a pet rock?

Pet rock is a unique cultural phenomenon that emerged in the 1970s in the United States. It may sound absurd, but smooth stones, devoid of any biological features, became a "trend" pursued by many.

*Note: Information is for reference only./.

What is a pet rock? Can lower secondary school students play with pet rocks during class? (Image from the Internet)

Can lower secondary school students in Vietnam play with pet rocks during class?

According to Article 37 of the Charter attached to Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT, the behaviors that lower secondary school students are prohibited from doing are as follows:

Prohibited acts for students

1. Disrespect the dignity, honor or bodily integrity of teachers, officials and staff of their schools, other people and other students.

2. Act dishonestly in learning, examinations or admission process.

3. Buy, sell or use alcohol, tobacco, drugs, other stimulants, firecrackers or explosives.

4. Use mobile phones and other devices in class for purposes other than learning and without the teacher's permission.

5. Fight or disrupt public or school order or security.

6. Use or exchange cultural products that incite violence or contain indecent materials; use toys or play games that impede their own healthy development.

7. Students shall not commit other prohibited acts provided for by regulations of law.

Under the above regulations, using pet rocks is not harmful to healthy development but is merely an entertaining toy. However, using pet rocks during class will greatly affect learning, cause distraction, and lack of attention to lessons. Prolonged distraction can affect lower secondary school students' academic performance.

Therefore, in some cases, when teachers notice students playing with pet rocks during class, they may remind or confiscate the toys if necessary to help students focus more during class.

What are the objectives of lower secondary education in Vietnam?

According to Article 29 of the Education Law 2019, the objectives of lower secondary education in Vietnam are stipulated as follows:

- The objectives of general education are to help learners develop comprehensively by acquiring morals, knowledge, physical health, aesthetic values and other basic skills, develop personal abilities, flexibility and creativeness, with a view to forming the socialist Vietnamese personality and the civic duty, to preparing them for further studies of higher education, vocational education or entering the workforce, participating in the building and defending of the Fatherland.

- Lower secondary education is directed towards students' consolidation and development of the outcomes of primary education, provision of general and basic knowledge along with introductory understanding on techniques and career orientation to enter upper secondary education or vocational education.