From February 14, Circular 29 regulating extra teaching and learning officially took effect. Accordingly, all schools nationwide will not be allowed to organize extra classes for students outside of the three target groups: weak students, excellent students and final year students.

At the same time, schools are not allowed to collect extra tuition fees from students and parents.

Circular 29 directly affects review work for the 2025 high school graduation exam at high schools.

Schools are faced with two options: continue to provide intensive review for students without charging, which means teachers have to teach for free, or stop reviewing altogether, letting students review on their own or take extra classes at centers outside of school.

"At this final stage, when there are only 4 months left until the important exam of 12 years of studying, we cannot bear to choose the second option. We choose the first option," shared the principal of a high school in the suburbs of Hanoi.

According to him, if the school stops teaching extra classes, 12th grade students will be abandoned.

The principal analyzed: suburban districts have limited educational resources, not many tutoring centers; economic life is not high, parents cannot "bear" the expensive cost of tutoring outside of school; teachers must temporarily stop tutoring until completing business registration procedures, reporting according to Circular 29...

"Only a small number of students with good learning ability and high self-awareness in learning can proactively review or participate in online courses. The majority of students still need close guidance and supervision from teachers," the principal affirmed.

With the same choice, Xuan Dinh High School (Tay Ho District, Hanoi) continues to maintain the review program for 12th graders as it has done since the beginning of the year and stops collecting fees. At the same time, the school reduces the time for intensive review for each subject from 4 periods to 2 periods/week.

Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, Mr. Vu Duy Khoi - Principal of Xuan Dinh High School - said: "Despite having many concerns, teachers still work with full responsibility and enthusiasm, willing to teach their students for free in this final stage.

The school also requires teachers to guide students in self-study methods and encourage their spirit and will to self-study.

According to Mr. Khoi, the school's salary fund is very large, the state budget is not enough to cover the costs of organizing extra teaching and learning. In addition, up to now, the school's teachers and staff have not received additional income according to Resolution 46 of the City People's Council because 100% of high schools in Hanoi are self-financing units.

The school is waiting for the Department of Education and Training (DoET) to provide more detailed instructions on the implementation of Circular 29 as well as advise and propose policies for next year so that teachers directly involved in reviewing for final year students are not disadvantaged.

Ms. Bui Thuy Linh - Principal of Thach Ban High School (Long Bien, Hanoi) - also said that the school mobilized the volunteerism and sense of responsibility and sharing of teachers so that the high school graduation exam review for grade 12 students could take place normally.

"Schools and teachers are willing to tighten their belts for the students, to help them get the best results in the upcoming important exam.

Unfortunately, even for students in grades 10 and 11, teachers who want to review for free are not allowed. The school has completely stopped the intensive learning for these two grades," said the Principal of Thach Ban High School.

According to a survey by Dan Tri reporters, many schools in suburban districts of Hanoi have completely stopped reviewing for students of all grades, including grade 12.

The same situation also occurs in some provinces and cities such as Hai Duong, Yen Bai, Thai Binh, some schools still maintain exam review for final year students and do not charge fees, some schools stop extra classes.

Mr. Nguyen Van Lich - Principal of Hoang Quoc Viet High School, Yen Bai - shared: "The school continues to review for 12th grade students according to the regulations of Circular 29, which means no fee collection and each subject has 2 lessons/week. The target has been assigned to teachers since the beginning of the year. Therefore, even though teaching is free, teachers are still responsible for their results.

However, the school still proposed to the Department of Education and Training, hoping for new policies to have more budget to ensure teachers' lives.

Circular 29 will also directly impact 9th grade students when the intensive review for the 10th grade entrance exam in secondary schools must be limited to a maximum of 2 periods/week/exam subject and no fees will be collected.

In a survey of many secondary schools in Hanoi, parents said they had not received any notice from the school about stopping extra classes or stopping collecting tuition fees since February 14.