Merging provinces and cities: Again raising the issue of one or more sets of textbooks

The issue of whether there should be one or more sets of textbooks and how the content of some subjects should be changed has been recommended by voters to the Ministry of Education and Training in the context of merging provinces and cities. The Ministry of Education and Training and experts also expressed their views on this issue.

NEED A COMMON SET OF TEXTBOOKS BECAUSE OF PROVINCIAL MERGER?

In a petition sent before the 9th session of the 15th National Assembly, voters of Hung Yen province reflected: After the provinces are merged, a large number of students at all levels will move and request to transfer schools to new places to follow their parents. However, if they do not transfer schools at the beginning of the school year, there will be difficulties and problems because according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training, when choosing textbooks in general education institutions, each educational institution will be allowed to choose a set of textbooks to teach in that school year. Therefore, voters suggested that the Ministry of Education and Training have a common set of textbooks applied to students nationwide to suit current practical and social conditions.

Parents buy textbooks to prepare their children for the new school year.

PHOTO: DAO NGOC THACH

Responding to this issue, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son cited a series of legal documents related to the regulation of one program and many sets of textbooks, such as: Resolution 88 of the National Assembly stipulates: The general education program stipulates the requirements on the qualities and abilities of students to be achieved after each level of education, the fields and compulsory education content for all students nationwide. The 2019 Law on Education stipulates: "The general education program must ensure the regulations on the requirements on the qualities and abilities of students to be achieved after each level of education, the compulsory education content for all students nationwide; Textbooks specify the requirements of the general education program on educational content, requirements on students' qualities and abilities; orientation on educational methods and ways to test and evaluate the quality of education and socialize the compilation of textbooks; there are a number of textbooks for each subject". The Politburo issued Conclusion No. 91 to continue implementing Resolution No. 29 of the 11th Central Executive Committee on fundamental and comprehensive innovation in education and training, including "continuing to perfect and effectively implement the new general education program..., implementing a unified general education program nationwide, each subject has one or several textbooks and socializing the compilation of textbooks".

According to the Minister of Education and Training, since the 2020-2021 school year, the Ministry has implemented the new curriculum and textbooks according to the provisions of the 2019 Education Law and schools have organized implementation, initially bringing about effectiveness. The 2018 General Education Program has specified in detail the content and requirements for each educational content. Textbooks only differ in terms of materials, presentation methods and teaching methods for each content, but must still meet the requirements of the program. Therefore, when students use different textbooks, the content of knowledge and requirements will not be affected. Textbooks are compiled for long-term use, many times.

"Thus, teaching and learning at different general education institutions are carried out according to the requirements of the subject and are unified nationwide. Textbooks are learning materials to organize teaching and learning, rich and diverse learning materials will support the teaching and learning process well,"

The Minister of Education and Training affirmed and said that he will continue to direct innovation in teaching, testing, assessment and examination methods, and at the same time review and evaluate the current situation and quality of implementation in localities and schools, listen to voters' opinions and suggestions to strengthen the guidance solutions in the coming time.

NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF TEXTBOOKS CORRECTLY

Previously, in December 2024, in the evaluation after 5 years of implementing the one-program model, many textbooks and the Ministry of Education and Training also presented a lot of optimistic information. The report of the Ministry of Education and Training said that the socialization of textbook compilation attracted a large number of editors-in-chief, editors and authors, a total of 2,656 authors, 3 times the number of authors participating in textbook compilation under the 2006 General Education Program. All subjects and educational activities have textbooks compiled in the form of socialization.

Representatives of the Department of Education and Training also assessed that the organization of teaching and learning with the model of one program and many textbooks has opened up many approaches to teaching content for teachers and students, creating conditions for teachers to promote initiative and creativity in teaching, testing and evaluation. Teachers and students have many options in choosing textbooks during the learning process to ensure suitability with local and family conditions.

However, many opinions also pointed out that in order to operate many textbooks, there must be more positive changes, including changing the inherent concept of considering textbooks as laws as before. The fact that the first high school graduation exam under the 2018 General Education Program had exam questions that did not follow any textbooks is also a "message" showing that schools should not depend on textbooks in the teaching and learning process.

An expert involved in compiling the current textbook program said: "No solution is perfect. A program and many textbooks are not without limitations and shortcomings, but that solution meets more of the country's demands in the new period, in line with international trends... The shortcomings and limitations of this solution need to be gradually overcome, in many ways and from many sides, many people... Point out the mistakes and find ways to fix them, not just because you can't catch a worm on a branch and then cut down the whole tree."

Candidates for the 2025 high school graduation exam, the first exam under the new General Education Program: one program, many sets of textbooks

Photo: Ngoc Duong

HOW TO REVISE TEXTBOOKS AFTER MERGER?

According to voters' feedback, after implementing Resolution No. 60, Vietnam has 34 provinces and cities. Therefore, it is recommended that the Ministry of Education and Training adjust and supplement the content of some subjects such as history, geography... in the general education program to suit the reality when merging provinces so that students and teachers can have more convenience in teaching and learning.

Responding to this issue, Minister Nguyen Kim Son said: The Ministry of Education and Training has organized a review and comparison with the implementation of the rearrangement of administrative units at all levels, the construction of a model of organizing a 2-level local government, and proposed necessary contents that need to be revised and supplemented. As a result, the subjects of history, geography, economic education and law need to be adjusted. The expert council of subjects has proposed contents that need to be revised and supplemented to be consistent with the implementation of the rearrangement of administrative units at all levels, the construction of a model of organizing a 2-level local government. The Ministry of Education and Training will issue the contents of the revised programs of a number of subjects and educational activities as soon as possible.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Tung, member of the Board of Members of the Vietnam Education Publishing House, said: The Publishing House has directed the review of knowledge, data, place names, maps, charts, socio-economic information related to changes in administrative boundaries and two-level government, and reported to the Ministry of Education and Training for instructions on corrections. Next, the Vietnam Education Publishing House will revise the textbooks and submit them to the Ministry of Education and Training for review.

Mr. Tung added that the revision of textbook content will be minimized. While waiting for the textbook to be revised, teachers and students will continue to use the current textbooks. The Ministry of Education and Training will provide guidance on this; the spirit is that schools and teachers will be proactive in adjusting materials, lesson content, and teaching topics based on local realities and the two-level government.

Arrangement of study places when students increase in new administrative centers

Voters also recommended that the Ministry of Education and Training coordinate with localities to find solutions to arrange adequate schools and classrooms to receive the increased number of students at new administrative center units.

Citing previously issued documents related to this content, the Minister of Education and Training said that he had requested the Departments of Education and Training to guide educational institutions to organize enrollment in a flexible manner, in order to ensure students' right to study, creating the most favorable conditions for students to study in accordance with the actual situation of the locality. High school enrollment is not limited by administrative boundaries; preschool enrollment, primary school enrollment and secondary school enrollment are not limited by commune-level administrative boundaries.

If necessary, establish a rapid response team to promptly support schools, families and students facing difficulties and problems in enrollment.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/sap-nhap-tinh-thanh-lai-dat-van-de-mot-hay-nhieu-bo-sach-giao-khoa-185250728232553793.htm