What is the significance of December 29? Is December 29 a major public holiday in Vietnam?

What is the significance of December 29?

December 29, 1960, is the day Warehouse K816 under the Directorate of Military Engineering, General Department of Technology was established. It is currently stationed in the district-level town of Thai Hoa, Nghe An province, tasked with the storage, maintenance, repair, and standardization of technical equipment weaponry.

Thus, December 29 each year is the traditional day of Warehouse K816 under the Directorate of Military Engineering, General Department of Technology. According to the Perpetual Calendar, December 29, 2024, corresponds to the lunar date of November 29, 2024.

Additionally, on December 29, 2013, the Government of Vietnam issued Resolution 137/NQ-CP in 2013 establishing Khuc Xuyen ward. Therefore, 2024 also marks the 11th anniversary of the establishment of Khuc Xuyen ward (December 29, 2013 - December 29, 2024).

Is December 29 a major public holiday in Vietnam?

According to Article 4 of Decree 145/2013/ND-CP, the 08 major holidays of Vietnam are stipulated as follows:

Major holidays

The major holidays in the country include:

1. Lunar New Year (1st day of the first lunar month).

2. The founding day of the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 03, 1930).

3. Hung Kings' Commemoration Day (10th day of the third lunar month).

4. Liberation Day of the South, Reunification of the country (April 30, 1975).

5. Dien Bien Phu Victory Day (May 07, 1954).

6. President Ho Chi Minh's Birthday (May 19, 1890).

7. August Revolution Day (August 19, 1945) and National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 02, 1945).

Hence, according to the above stipulations, December 29 is not a major holiday of the year.

What is the significance of December 29? Is December 29 a major public holiday in Vietnam?​ (Image from Internet)

Do upper secondary students in Vietnam get a day off on December 29?

According to the regulations, upper secondary students will have holidays based on the holiday schedule of upper secondary school teachers.

Pursuant to Clause 1, Article 13 of the Public Employee Law 2010 on the rights of public employees regarding rest periods:

Rights of public employees regarding rest periods

1. To have annual leave, public holidays, and personal leave as prescribed by labor law. If due to work requirements, a public employee is unable to or does not fully utilize the annual leave, they are entitled to receive a monetary compensation for the unused leave days.

2. Public employees working in mountainous, border, island areas, remote, and isolated regions or in special cases, if requested, may combine annual leave of 2 years for one-time leave; if combining leave of 3 years for one-time leave, it must be approved by the head of the public service provider.

3. For specific career fields, public employees can take leave and receive salary as prescribed by law.

4. To be on unpaid leave for reasonable reasons with the approval of the head of the public service provider.

Pursuant to Article 112 of the Labor Code 2019:

Public holidays and Tet

1. Employees are entitled to leave from work with full pay on the following public holidays and Tet:

a) New Year's Day: 1 day (January 1 on the solar calendar);

b) Lunar New Year: 5 days;

c) Victory Day: 1 day (April 30 on the solar calendar);

d) International Labor Day: 1 day (May 1 on the solar calendar);

dd) National Day: 2 days (September 2 on the solar calendar and 1 adjacent day before or after);

e) Hung Kings' Commemoration Day: 1 day (10th day of the third lunar month).

2. Foreign employees working in Vietnam, apart from the holidays specified in Clause 1 of this Article, are entitled to one additional day of traditional New Year festival and one day of their National Day.

3. Annually, based on actual conditions, the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam will decide specific days off stipulated at points b and dd, Clause 1 of this Article.

Therefore, according to the above regulations, upper secondary students will not be given a holiday on December 29 as it is not considered a major holiday for which students can have a day off according to the regulations.

What are rights of upper secondary students in Vietnam when attending school?

According to Article 35 of the Charter issued with Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT, the following rights are stipulated:

- To be equally entitled to comprehensive education and assured conditions related to time, facilities, hygiene, safety for learning in class and self-study at home; to be provided with information about their learning and training; to use equipment and facilities to serve study, cultural, and sports activities at school according to the regulations.

- To be respected and protected, treated equally and democratically; to have the right to appeal to the school and educational management levels about decisions concerning themselves; to have the right to transfer schools with justified reasons according to current regulations; to study ahead of age, skip grades, or study at a higher age than stipulated.

- To participate in activities to develop talents in subjects, sports, and arts organized by the school if conditions are met.

- To receive scholarships or other aids as per regulations for students entitled to social policies, those with life difficulties, and those with outstanding talents.

- To transfer schools if conditions are met as per regulations; transfer procedures are conducted according to the guidelines of the Minister of Education and Training.

- To enjoy other rights as prescribed by law.