VietNamNet Bridge – Many schools in HCM City have already re-opened their doors.

VietNamNet Bridge – Although HCM City Education and Training Department decided that extra summer classes must not begin prior to August 16, many schools have already re-opened their doors.

Summer is a time … to learn

The department hoped to help students have a relaxing summer and ease their study burden. Apparently, however, some schools do not agree.

Tran Thi Thuy Vinh, Headmaster of Ngo Thoi Nhiem Private High School admitted that they opened extra summer classes in mid-June. Students review former lessons and also study topics for the next grade level.

According to Vinh, seniors must attend extra classes from June 17 to August 7. After that, they will stay at home until September 4, when the official school year begins. During the summer, they study 12^th grade lessons in advance.

The school decided to begin teaching the senior curriculum early, so that students can finish sooner. If teachers complete courses early, they and their students will spend the remaining time on subjects for the high school finals.

Ngo Thoi Nhiem School plans to finish teaching technology and informatics during the summer, and complete ‘citizenship education’ in the first semester.

Le Thuy Hoa, Headmaster of Thai Binh High School, also confirmed that their students have returned to school. Summer classes opened on July 15 and will finish on August 15. After that, students will stay at home for two weeks before the new academic year begins.

Thanh Binh High School students must also come to extra classes. Principal Le Van Linh noted that students will review old material and study new subjects.

According to Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, most HCM City schools have opened extra summer classes already, even though the city’s education and training department stated that such classes could be opened only after August 16 and even then only remedial students could attend.

A rigid decision?

Most schools with extra classes claimed that the department’s decision was “too rigid”.

Vin h argues that students at non-state owned schools are worse than students of state-owned ones, so, it is necessary to teach new lessons in advance.

Seniors most especially need classes in advance, because they need time to prepare for high school final exams and university entrance exams, the most important exams of their lives.

Vinh stressed that the decision does not work for 12^th graders.

Thai Binh High School has offered another reason. Headmaster Le Thuy Hoa explained that a three month holiday is too unreasonable – the break is long and students are jarred by their return to intensive studies in the fall.

Thai Binh school students begin their year earlier than the department stipulates, but they have longer holidays during the school year, she observed.

Source: Nguoi lao dong