During discussions at the 4th Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Conference (expanded) on 15/9, Party Secretary Tran Luu Quang requested the Department of Education and Training clarify why students were attending school on Saturdays. He stated he had received 12 text messages from residents complaining about this.

"People are reacting strongly. What is the Department of Education's perspective and what are the solutions?", Mr. Quang asked.

Nguyen Van Hieu, Director of the Department of Education and Training, explained that the Ministry of Education and Training requires no more than 7 periods per day. However, in recent guidance, the Ministry allowed schools to flexibly organize supplementary activities alongside core lessons.

"It doesn't mean that after 7 periods, students go home. Schools can add a life skills, STEM, or other activity period, making it 8 periods. The Department has guided schools on this," Mr. Hieu said.

According to Mr. Hieu, schools already running double sessions would not schedule classes for Saturday mornings. If they did, this time would be reserved for life skills activities or learning with foreign teachers, with parental consent.

However, currently, 24 schools, mainly in the former Binh Duong area, lack the facilities for double sessions, so students must attend classes on Saturdays.

Secretary Tran Luu Quang asked the Department to thoroughly review the situation, ensuring students attending double sessions do not have Saturday classes unless there is a voluntary agreement between the school and parents. Schools incorporating life skills lessons must do so effectively and in accordance with regulations.

Nguyen Van Hieu, Department of Education and Training, explains the Saturday school situation on the morning of 15/9. Photo: Le Tuyet

Nguyen Van Hieu, Department of Education and Training, explains the Saturday school situation on the morning of 15/9. Photo: Le Tuyet

Also during the discussion, Mr. Hieu proposed the city maintain its goal of 300 classrooms per 10,000 school-aged residents (3-18 years old).

He noted that before the merger, Ho Chi Minh City had achieved 297 classrooms per 10,000 residents, close to the target. However, this number is now lower because the former Binh Duong area only has about 200, and for the 15-18 age group, the average is just 74 classrooms per 10,000 residents.

Ho Chi Minh City currently has over 2.5 million students, the highest number in the country. At the start of the new school year, many parents expressed frustration with the addition of Saturday morning classes. The Department of Education and Training subsequently instructed schools to arrange timetables reasonably, avoiding Saturday classes.

Le Tuyet - Le Nguyen