Questioning the Minister of Education: How can we make regular school hours no longer 'extra hours'?

TPO - The situation of 'disguised tutoring' in many forms is still quite common, showing that there is still a gap between policy and practice.

On the morning of June 20, the National Assembly continued to question Ministerof Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son.

Raising a question, delegate Tran Thi Thu Hang ( Dak Nong ) cited the ministry's report, assessing that the situation of "disguised tutoring" in many forms is still quite common, showing that there is still a gap between policy and practice.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son.

Parents of students consider classroom learning to be insufficient to meet the requirements of exams, and need to seek extra classes as an inevitable solution to improve learning outcomes. According to her, the two above-mentioned problems can be considered a supply-demand relationship, Ms. Hang said.

“The key issue to completely overcome this ‘supply-demand relationship’ is to improve the quality of teaching and learning during regular school hours. However, the report has not yet provided any specific solutions. So what are the solutions to improve the quality of teaching and learning during regular school hours?”, the delegate asked.

Responding to questions, Minister Nguyen Kim Son continued to affirm that he had given many reasons for the widespread practice of extra teaching and learning.

According to the Minister, to improve the quality of formal teaching hours, the first important factor is the teaching staff. First of all, teachers must be sufficient in number, wholeheartedly devoted to formal teaching hours, not distracted, scattered, and not having to worry about too many other things.

Too much tutoring, no time to focus on main teaching

“To teach a regular class hour, teachers need many hours of lesson preparation, grading, assessment, and student support. In addition to class hours, teachers also need to have activities to support those hours,” said the Minister.

Party and State leaders at the question-and-answer session on June 20. Photo: Nhu Y

Mr. Son also affirmed that Circular 29 does not prohibit teachers from teaching extra classes, but only manages and regulates them appropriately. However, if too much time is spent on extra classes outside of regular classes, teachers will not have much time left to take care of regular teaching hours.

Meanwhile, the 2018 General Education Program requires more activities from teachers, with higher requirements. Therefore, it is even more important for teachers to be fully devoted to their main teaching hours.

Next, according to the Minister, the issue of facilities also needs to be more guaranteed. During regular teaching hours, but the number of students in a class is up to 60 - 70 students, the quality is also very difficult to be good. It is also very difficult for teachers in a class with such a large number of students to innovate methods, to be able to pay attention to each student.

"Therefore, adequate facilities and teaching equipment for the school, spacious classrooms, well-prepared teachers, and a relaxed and focused spirit are the conditions for implementing the formal education program well," said Mr. Son.

To improve the quality of formal teaching hours, a very comprehensive solution is needed, but according to the Minister of Education and Training, there are two particularly important factors, which are the teaching staff and the conditions of facilities and other important conditions.

Luan Dung

Source: https://tienphong.vn/chat-van-bo-truong-giao-duc-lam-sao-de-gio-hoc-chinh-khong-con-la-gio-phu-post1752885.tpo