Students in Vietnam may enter the grade before the compulsory starting age or skip to the next grade

Students in Vietnam may enter the grade before the compulsory starting age or skip to the next grade (Internet image)

Article 33 of the lower secondary school, upper secondary school and multi-level school charter issued together with Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT stipulates the secondary school age in Vietnam as follows:

- Children shall start the sixth grade at the age of 11 and the tenth grade at the age of 15. For students skipping a grade or over-age students, the sixth grade and tenth grade starting ages shall be adjusted based on the age at which these students graduate from the previous education level.

- For ethnic minority students, students with disabilities, disadvantaged students and students returning to Vietnam from abroad, maximum secondary school starting age shall be 03 years older than the compulsory starting age.

- At an education level, students may not repeat a grade more than 03 times.

- Students with good physical capacity and early intelligence development may enter the sixth or tenth grade before the compulsory starting age or skip to the next grade within the same education level. Consideration shall be given on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the following procedures:

• The student’s parent or guardian submits an application to the school.

• The school principal establishes a survey and advisory council with the following main members: representatives of school leaders and parent committee of the school; and teachers teaching the student's class.

• The school principal considers and makes a decision based on the result of the survey conducted by the survey and advisory council.

- Students at an appropriate age returning to Vietnam from abroad and children of foreigners working in Vietnam may enroll in local or non-local secondary schools capable of receiving them. Consideration shall be given on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the following procedures:

• The student’s parent or guardian submits an application to the school.

• The school principal organizes an assessment of the student’s capacity and places them in a suitable class.

More details can be found in Circular 32/2020/TT-BGDDT, which comes into force from November 1, 2020.

Le Vy

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