The new set of textbooks needs to create a stable foundation for general education.

National Assembly representative Nguyen Thi Viet Nga emphasized the importance of evaluating educational programs before compiling textbooks. (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

Careful evaluation is needed before compilation.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has assigned the Department of General Education to develop and implement a plan to review and refine the general education curriculum and textbooks in order to complete a new set of textbooks for unified national use starting from the 2028-2029 school year.

According to National Assembly representative Nguyen Thi Viet Nga, a member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Social Affairs and Deputy Head of the Hai Phong City National Assembly Delegation, using a unified set of textbooks could create a more stable foundation across localities, facilitate student transfers, enable teachers to exchange expertise, and build shared learning materials. It would also provide an opportunity to review any shortcomings in the curriculum.

However, if the curriculum is already overloaded, simply replacing it with a different set of textbooks may not solve the root problem. Therefore, curriculum evaluation must be a crucial step before textbook compilation. This process needs input from teachers directly involved in classroom instruction, students, and schools in different regions. Simultaneously, content that has been proven effective in previous textbooks should be retained.

Reducing the workload must go hand in hand with reforming the examination system.

Another requirement emphasized by National Assembly representative Nguyen Thi Viet Nga is to reduce the curriculum load. According to her, the current curriculum is still too academically oriented, and simply changing textbooks without addressing the curriculum itself will not reduce academic pressure. In particular, reducing the workload must go hand in hand with reforms in testing, evaluation, and examinations.

"It's impossible to simply reduce the number of pages in textbooks while maintaining the same amount of knowledge, or to move difficult concepts to exercises and supplementary materials. If the exam still requires knowledge beyond the basic level, teachers and students will still resort to extra tutoring," Ms. Nga analyzed.

Accordingly, the curriculum, textbooks, teaching time, and assessment of learning outcomes need to be designed in a coordinated manner.

Standardizing textbooks is necessary, but space for teachers is still needed.

A nationally standardized set of textbooks does not mean that teachers should be limited to the content of the books. The textbooks need to clearly define the core content, provide flexible guidance, and include extensions so that teachers can choose learning materials, activities, and methods that are appropriate for their students.

In particular, when designing shared textbooks, it should not be assumed that all students have digital devices, the internet, or the means to participate in costly activities. In reality, there are still students in remote, disadvantaged, and particularly difficult areas who do not have full access to these devices.

"The textbooks should be standardized but still leave room for teachers' initiative, while also taking into account the differences in learning conditions between regions," Ms. Nga said.

Teachers also expect the new textbooks to have appropriate, consistent content that is relevant to students and teaching conditions in all regions. Photo: Nguyen Thuy

Put quality first.

The quality of compilation, review, and testing must be prioritized. When a set of textbooks is used widely throughout the country, even a small error can have a large-scale impact.

Therefore, it is necessary to publicly disclose the criteria for selecting authors, ensure independence in evaluation, control conflicts of interest, and test books in different regions. At the same time, a mechanism for receiving feedback, making quick corrections, and clearly defining responsibility when errors are discovered needs to be established.

In addition, a unified set of textbooks needs to be accompanied by an efficient supply mechanism. According to Ms. Nga, it is possible to create conditions for many capable units to participate in printing and distributing according to common standards, with a transparent mechanism, in order to ensure that books are supplied fully and promptly.

A sufficiently long stabilization period is needed.

Regarding the roadmap, National Assembly representative Nguyen Thi Viet Nga stated that the transition to the new textbooks must be clear, stable, and feasible. The Ministry of Education and Training needs to promptly announce the implementation plan, whether it will be implemented grade by grade or simultaneously, and how to handle students who are in the middle of a grade level and during the transition period.

This also includes time for teachers to receive training and familiarize themselves with the new curriculum and textbooks; and to plan for printing, supplying, and using the current textbooks during the transition period.

"The new set of textbooks must create a sufficiently long period of stability for general education . Without stability, the efforts, resources, and social costs invested will be difficult to utilize rationally and achieve the highest effectiveness," Ms. Nga emphasized.

Source: https://laodong.vn/giao-duc/bo-sach-giao-khoa-moi-can-tao-nen-tang-on-dinh-cho-giao-duc-pho-thong-1776880.ldo