Vietnam: Can students be forced to take extra classes when there is no need?

Vietnam: Can students be forced to take extra classes when there is no need? (Internet image)

Regarding this issue, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. Can students be forced to take extra classes when there is no need?

Article 3, Circular 17/2012/TT-BGDDT stipulates the rules for extra classes

- Extra classes must help to broaden knowledge, skills and character education of students, be suitable for psychological and physical characteristics and not beyond the acquisition of learners

- It is not allowed to reduce the curricular contents of compulsory education program and add them to extra classes; and provide the curricular contents in the extra classes in advance.

- Students taking extra classes are students who intend to attend extra classes with the consent of their families; it is not allowed to compel students or students’ families to attend extra classes.

- It is not allowed to provide extra classes according to the curricular classes; students in the same extra class shall have the same learning capacity; the students are admitted to the extra classes according to their learning capacity.

5. Extra class providers shall be responsible for their registration and application for the license.

Article 5 of Circular 17/2012/TT-BGDDT stipulates holding internal extra classes in Vietnam as follows:

- Each student who wishes to take an extra class shall submit an application for taking extra classes to the institution; his/her parents or guardian (hereinafter referred to as parents) shall append their signatures and write a commitment, and adhere to such commitment.

- The principal of the institution shall receive the application from the student, categorize him/her to an appropriate group of students by his/her learning capacity, assign teachers and hold extra classes according to each group of students.

- Each teacher intending to conduct extra classes shall submit a registration of conducting extra classes which commit to fulfill all duties of a teacher as specified in general regulations and other duties assigned by the institution and seriously comply with regulations on extra classes in the institution.

- The principal shall consider approving the list of teachers, assign teachers and establish timetables for extra classes appropriate to the students’ learning capacity.

Thus, according to the above regulations, students cannot be forced to take extra classes when they do not need to. In addition, when students need extra classes, they must have an application for extra classes signed and confirmed by their parents or guardians and sent to the school.

2. Cases of banned extra classes in Vietnam

Cases that cannot be taught include:

- Extra classes shall not be provided for students who have attended curricular classes for 2 sessions per day.

- Extra classes shall not be provided for elementary students, except for extra-curricular activities: arts, sports, or life skills.

- Higher education institutions, colleges, junior colleges and vocational schools are banned from hold extra classes with compulsory education contents.

- A teacher receiving salaries from wage-fund of public service agencies is banned from:

= Holding external extra classes unless he/she conducts external extra classes;

= Conducting external extra classes for students who are in his/her curricular classes without the permit of the Head of his/her superior agency.

(Article 4 of Circular 17/2012/TT-BGDDT)

Nguyen Ngoc Que Anh

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