Ho Chi Minh City prevents extra teaching and learning, teaching before grade 1 in preschools

The information was presented at a meeting on management and professional work with the participation of specialized officers of the Department of Social Culture of communes, wards, special zones, and key principals across Ho Chi Minh City on August 6, at the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training. In addition to the issue of extra teaching for primary school children, the Department of Preschool Education , Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training said that there is also a situation where some non-public facilities accept children of the wrong age according to the type of registration; exceed the prescribed number of children; perform services outside of regulations such as writing practice, practicing beautiful handwriting for children...

In addition, inspections in July 2025 by the Preschool Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training found that many non-public facilities (independent classes; groups of up to 7 children) mainly look after children, not ensuring the care, nurturing and education according to the preschool education program of the Ministry of Education and Training. Some facilities have an environment that is not safe for children; facilities do not meet conditions such as humidity, lack of toys and equipment, cramped toilets, etc.

Strengthening the review and inspection of extra teaching and learning and many other areas in preschools

At the meeting on August 6, the leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training requested that specialized officers of the social and cultural departments of 168 communes, wards, and special zones across the city strengthen the inspection of non-public preschools.

PHOTO: THUY HANG

The inspection and review must closely follow Circular 49/2021/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training on promulgating regulations on the organization and operation of independent nursery groups, independent kindergartens, independent preschool classes of the public and private types; Circular No. 45/2021/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training on the construction of safe schools, prevention of accidents and injuries in preschools. At the same time, regarding the requirement for units to implement nameplates according to regulations, based on Article 5 of Circular 52/2020/TT-BGDDT of the Minister of Education and Training on the Charter of preschools.

Specifically, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training requested specialized officers of the Department of Social and Cultural Affairs of 168 communes, wards, and special zones to inspect the management of non-public preschools. For example, checking licensing records; number of children in child care groups, kindergarten classes, and independent preschool classes; children's ages according to licensing type (child care groups accepting children from 3 months to 36 months old; independent preschool classes accepting children from 3 years old to 6 years old; independent preschool classes accepting children from 3 months to 6 years old).

The inspection team needs to inspect the implementation of the task of managing the activities of nurturing, caring for and educating children according to the regulations of the Preschool Education Program of the Ministry of Education and Training; conditions of facilities, equipment, utensils, toys, children's activity rooms, functional rooms, living rooms, toilets according to the regulations of the Preschool Charter and regulations on equipment, utensils, toys issued by the Ministry of Education and Training...

PHOTO: PHUONG HA

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training requested that the specialized staff of the Department of Social Culture inspect non-public preschools on the work of nurturing and caring to see if the living environment inside and outside the classroom is safe, clean, airy, and has adequate light; whether there are reasonable play and learning areas for children, creating a friendly and warm space for children to develop comprehensively both physically and mentally. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the inspection of facilities, electrical systems, groups, classes, and toilets to warn children about safety. Local authorities must also inspect food hygiene and safety, clean water sources, meal quality, and kitchens for children in independent preschool groups and classes...

Notably, regarding education, the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City requested that local communes, wards and special zones must: "Inspect a friendly learning environment, ensuring that children are absolutely safe both physically and mentally; provide enough toys, documents, and learning materials to serve the education of children in groups/classes. Supervise extra teaching and learning, do not teach the first grade program in advance. Review the use of permitted sources of documents and learning materials and allow children to operate effectively. Supplement regular training materials according to documents of the Ministry of Education and Training to help the management staff improve their knowledge as well as the quality of child care and education, do not photocopy sources of documents".

Getting familiar with writing is completely different from holding a Vietnamese textbook for grade 1.

In many professional training sessions, the Preschool Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training repeatedly emphasized to managers and preschool teachers that they should not teach extra classes in preschools; and should not teach children the first grade curriculum in advance. And getting children acquainted with writing in the current preschool education program of the Ministry of Education and Training does not mean that the preschool teacher holds the entire first grade Vietnamese textbook and teaches the children to write. Nor does the preschool teacher focus on teaching each letter of the alphabet to the children, requiring them to remember and write that letter.

Ms. Luong Thi Hong Diep, Head of the Preschool Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that when introducing children to reading and writing at preschool level, teachers should teach them the rules of sitting up straight, concentrating on listening to the teacher, the distance between the eyes and the notebook, how to hold the pen, moving from left to right, from top to bottom, etc. These are the "foundations" of primary school learning that need to be taught to children.

PHOTO: THUY HANG

The management staff of Thanh Pho Kindergarten (Tran Quoc Thao Street, Xuan Hoa Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) noted that at the preschool level, it is "getting familiar with writing", not learning to write. Getting children acquainted with writing in preschool age is different from learning letters in primary school, this will be done through games, focusing on 4 skills of listening - speaking - reading - writing. Preschool children will see letters as symbols for them to draw, which can be called "copying" letters. This is completely different from first graders - the teachers will teach students each letter, what strokes it includes, starting from which square...

Recently, many kindergartens in Ho Chi Minh City have organized simulated classes for kindergarten children to get acquainted with first grade. In the simulated classroom, standard desks and chairs for primary school students are arranged. Children are prepared with learning materials such as boards, chalk, pens, etc. Children need to sit and concentrate for 15 minutes for each activity to get acquainted with writing or math. Teachers correct and train children to sit properly, how to take out learning materials, how to present their opinions in front of the whole class, etc. This knowledge helps children adapt quickly and not be "shocked" when entering first grade.