Classes are arranged according to each selected subject, continuing to teach integrated 'according to conditions'

In the document guiding the implementation of tasks for the 2025-2026 school year for general education , the Ministry of Education and Training requires effective organization of consultation and guidance for high school students to register for the selection of elective subjects and elective study topics.

Ensure publicity, transparency, proper procedures, and balance between subjects to maximize the school's teaching staff according to the instructions of the Ministry of Education and Training.

At the same time, increase the arrangement of separate classes according to each selected subject and selected study topic, be flexible in arranging the number of students in the class to best meet the needs and wishes of students; ensure the assignment of teachers, build a scientific and reasonable timetable between classes, without causing pressure on students and teachers.

PHOTO: V.D

According to Thanh Nien reporters, the practice of differentiated teaching, reducing compulsory subjects, and increasing elective subjects when students enter high school has entered its fourth year of implementation, but the conditions and methods of organization and implementation still have many shortcomings.

Many schools choose the easiest way to design elective courses based on the existing classrooms and teaching staff to make it easiest to schedule.

Due to the physical conditions and teaching staff, the number of combinations in each school is still limited, mainly divided into 2 groups: natural sciences and social sciences. In theory, there are more than 100 options for choosing subjects in high school, but in reality, most schools will build less than 10 combinations, mainly 4-6 subject combinations for students to choose from.

The representative of the Ministry of Education and Training said that although elective teaching is in a context of lack of teachers and classrooms, if schools do it conscientiously, they can still "smartly" increase the choice for their students.

If the school only arranges classes to facilitate organization, the students will suffer.

Integrated teaching according to local conditions

For secondary school level, the Ministry of Education and Training requires continuing to implement instructions on developing integrated teaching plans for natural sciences, history and geography, experiential activities, and career guidance to ensure quality, achieve program objectives, and be suitable to the practical situation, staff capacity, and teaching conditions of each locality according to the guidance of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Specifically, in the subject of natural science (junior high school level), the Ministry of Education and Training requires schools to assign teachers to ensure that the teachers' professional training is consistent with the assigned teaching content (according to the content lines of matter and change of matter, energy and change, living things, earth and sky).

"The assignment of teachers who have been trained and professionally developed to teach two content streams or the entire subject program must be done step by step, ensuring the professional requirements of teachers to ensure teaching quality," the Ministry of Education and Training noted.

Also according to the direction of the Ministry of Education and Training, it is necessary to continue to develop teaching plans that are consistent with the content of the subject program.

In case of difficulty in arranging the timetable, it is necessary to be flexible in terms of time and timing of implementing the content circuits or topics of the program to arrange the timetable in accordance with the assignment of teachers, meeting the requirements of scientificity, pedagogy (ensuring that the content taught before is the basis for the content taught after) and the implementation ability of the teacher.

Natural Science is the integrated subject that causes the most concerns and reactions in the 2018 General Education Program when implementing teaching in the context of not having teachers trained to teach integrated subjects. Therefore, schools still assign teachers of each subject (physics, chemistry, biology) to participate in teaching each part of the integrated subject, leading to difficulties in students' seamless access to knowledge as well as the testing and grading process...

In a statement, the Minister of Education and Training once said that he would consider adjusting this subject, but then issued a document instructing implementation in a way that "suits the practical situation, staff capacity and teaching conditions" of each school.