Circular No. 02/2014/TT-BGDĐT Issuing the Regulation on Recognizing Kindergartens Meeting National Standards

CIRCULAR

Issuing the Regulation on Recognizing Kindergartens Meeting National Standards

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Pursuant to the Education Law on June 14, 2005; the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Articles of the Education Law on November 25, 2009;

Pursuant to Decree No. 36/2012/NĐ-CP dated April 18, 2012, of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of Ministries and ministerial-level agencies;

Pursuant to Decree No. 32/2008/NĐ-CP dated March 19, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

Pursuant to Decree No. 75/2006/NĐ-CP dated August 2, 2006 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Education Law; Decree No. 31/2011/NĐ-CP dated May 11, 2011 of the Government amending and supplementing certain provisions of Decree No. 75/2006/NĐ-CP dated August 2, 2006 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Education Law; Decree No. 07/2013/NĐ-CP dated January 9, 2013 of the Government amending Point b Clause 13 Article 1 of Decree No. 31/2011/NĐ-CP dated May 11, 2011 amending and supplementing certain provisions of Decree No. 75/2006/NĐ-CP dated August 2, 2006 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Education Law;

At the proposal of the Director of the Early Childhood Education Department;

The Minister of Education and Training issues this Circular on issuing the Regulation on Recognizing Kindergartens Meeting National Standards.

Article 1. This Circular attaches the Regulation on Recognizing Kindergartens Meeting National Standards.

Article 2. This Circular takes effect from March 25, 2014 and replaces Decision No. 36/2008/QĐ-BGDĐT dated July 16, 2008 of the Minister of Education and Training on issuing the Regulation on Recognizing Kindergartens Meeting National Standards.

Article 3. The Head of the Ministry's Office, the Director of the Early Childhood Education Department, the Heads of units related to the Ministry of Education and Training, the Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities, and the Directors of provincial Departments of Education and Training are responsible for implementing this Circular.

 

REGULATIONS

Regulation on Recognizing Kindergartens Meeting National Standards
(Issued together with Circular No. 02/2014/TT-BGDĐT dated February 8, 2014 of the Minister of Education and Training)

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Article 1. This Regulation stipulates the recognition of kindergartens meeting national standards, including: criteria, files, and procedures for recognizing kindergartens meeting national standards.

Article 2. This Regulation applies to kindergartens, nursery schools, and childcare centers (hereinafter referred to collectively as kindergartens) within the national education system; and relevant organizations and individuals.

Article 2. Recognition Levels

Kindergartens meeting national standards are recognized at two levels: Level 1 and Level 2.

1. Level 1: Meeting the essential criteria for kindergartens meeting national standards to ensure the organization of comprehensive quality care and education activities for children in accordance with early childhood education goals.

2. Level 2: Meeting the essential criteria for kindergartens meeting national standards to ensure the organization of comprehensive quality care and education activities for children at a higher level than Level 1, creating conditions to approach the development level of kindergartens in advanced countries in the region and worldwide.

Article 3. Conditions for Recognition

Kindergartens must have been awarded the title of outstanding kindergarten for the immediately preceding school year and meet the criteria specified in Chapter II of this Regulation.

Article 4. Duration of Recognition

The decision recognizing kindergartens meeting national standards has a validity period of five years from the date of issuance. Within five years, if a kindergarten that has met national standards violates the criteria stipulated in this document, the decision and certificate of recognition will be revoked.

Five years after the date of the recognition decision, kindergartens must self-assess, prepare files, and submit them to the competent authorities for re-examination and recognition. The procedures for re-recognition follow those for initial recognition.

Article 5. Competence to Recognize

The Chairman of the People's Committee (PC) of the province or centrally governed city (hereinafter referred to collectively as the Chairman of the Provincial PC) shall issue a Decision and grant the Certificate of Recognition for preschools meeting national standards. The model of the Certificate of Recognition is stipulated in this Circular (Annex I).

Chapter II

NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PRESCHOOLS MEETING NATIONAL STANDARDS

Section 1

NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PRESCHOOLS MEETING NATIONAL STANDARDS

LEVEL 1

Article 6. Organization and Management

1. Management Work

a) Preschools have annual, semester, monthly, and weekly activity plans; implement measures and organize the execution of these plans according to schedule;

b) Principals, deputy principals, and heads of specialized departments perform management, reasonably allocate staff, teachers, and employees in accordance with the Charter of Preschools, the Law on Cadres and Civil Servants, and the Law on Public Servants;

c) Organize and manage administrative, financial, professional regulations, democratic regulations, internal inspections, innovation in management work, working relationships, and work procedures within preschools effectively;

d) Manage and utilize facilities efficiently to serve childcare and education activities, ensuring a clean, green, beautiful, and safe environment;

đ) Properly archive all files and records necessary for preschool management;

e) Fully implement labor policies and benefits for employees in accordance with current regulations;

g) Regularly organize and maintain competitive movements in accordance with industry guidelines and state regulations;

h) Implement measures to improve the living conditions of staff, teachers, and employees in preschools.

2. Organizational Work

a) Principals and deputy principals must have continuous management experience in the preschool education sector for at least five years for principals and three years for deputy principals; hold a degree from a college of early childhood education or higher, having completed training in educational management and political theory as required; apply information technology in management and professional guidance; Each year, the principal is directly evaluated and ranked as good or better by the direct educational management authority according to the standards for preschool principals issued by the Ministry of Education and Training; have the required number of deputy principals.

b) Principals and deputy principals must have the ability to manage and organize preschool activities, be familiar with the preschool education curriculum; possess good moral qualities, be trusted by teachers, staff, and local residents; achieve advanced worker status or higher each year.

3. Organizations, Mass Organizations, and Councils in Preschools

a) School Council for public preschools, Board of Directors for private and independent preschools, and other councils in preschools are organized and operated in accordance with the Charter of Preschools; focus on supervising preschool activities; monitor the implementation of resolutions and democratic regulations in preschool activities;

b) Party organizations, trade unions, and Youth League of preschools operate effectively, promoting school development, contributing to improving the quality of childcare and education;

c) Parent-Teacher Associations closely cooperate with preschools in childcare and education activities, mobilizing community contributions to the preschool education movement in the locality.

4. Compliance with Party Policies, State Laws, and Educational Management Authorities' Directives

a) Preschools effectively implement Party policies and state laws related to preschool education; strictly comply with local government management; proactively advise local Party committees and governments on development plans and specific measures for preschool education goals;

b) Preschools comply with direct professional directives from the Department of Education and Training, fully implementing reporting requirements to higher-level management authorities.

Article 7. Teaching staff and administrative personnel

1. Quantity and level of training

The number of teaching staff and administrative personnel shall be sufficient as prescribed. Ensure that 100% of teachers and administrative personnel meet the standard or higher in terms of training level, including at least 40% of teachers meeting the above-standard training level.

2. Quality, ethics, and professional competence

a) At least 50% of teachers shall achieve the title of Excellent Teacher at the school level, with at least 20% of teachers achieving the title of Excellent Teacher at the district level or higher;

b) Annually, at least 70% of teachers and administrative personnel shall achieve the title of Advanced Worker from the grassroots level or higher, and there shall be no staff members, teachers, or administrative personnel disciplined with a warning or higher, nor any teachers weak in professional competence;

c) Annually, at least 50% of teachers shall achieve a good or better rating according to the Early Childhood Education Professional Standard issued by the Ministry of Education and Training, including at least 50% of teachers achieving an excellent rating; there shall be no teachers rated as poor.

3. Professional activities

a) Subject groups shall operate in accordance with the Kindergarten Charter;

b) The kindergarten shall organize regular activities such as professional exchanges, thematic meetings, field trips for learning experiences, and provide specific reports on each activity;

c) Teachers shall fully participate in all professional activities, thematic activities, and social activities organized by the kindergarten or jointly organized;

d) Teachers shall apply information technology in childcare and education.

4. Training and development plan

a) There shall be a planning for developing the teaching staff, with a training plan to increase the number of teachers meeting the above-standard training level;

b) Strictly implement the continuous training program, summer training, and thematic training as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training;

c) 100% of teachers shall have plans and carry out self-training to improve their professional competence.

Article 8. Quality of Childcare and Education

The kindergarten shall fulfill the annual tasks and the Early Childhood Education Program issued by the Ministry of Education and Training, achieving the following requirements annually:

1. 100% of preschool groups and kindergartens shall organize meals for children staying overnight.

2. 100% of children shall be guaranteed physical and mental safety, with no outbreaks of disease or food poisoning occurring in the kindergarten.

3. 100% of children shall undergo regular health check-ups as stipulated in the Kindergarten Charter.

4. Attendance rate of children: reaching 90% or more for five-year-olds, and 85% or more for other age groups.

5. At least 85% of children shall develop normally in weight and height according to their age.

6. 100% of undernourished children shall be intervened with measures to improve nutritional status.

7. At least 98% of five-year-olds shall complete the Early Childhood Education Program. 100% of five-year-olds shall be monitored and evaluated according to the Five-Year-Old Child Development Standards. 100% of children under five years old shall attend two sessions per day.

8. At least 80% of children with disabilities participating in integrated education (if applicable) shall show progress.

Article 9. Scale of Schools, Classes, and Facilities

1. Scale of Kindergarten, Preschool Groups, and Kindergarten Classes

The number of children and preschool groups, kindergarten classes in the kindergarten shall comply with the provisions of the Kindergarten Charter; all preschool groups and kindergarten classes shall be divided by age.

2. Location of the School: The kindergarten shall be located in the center of residential areas, convenient for children to attend school, ensuring regulations on safety and environmental hygiene.

3. Requirements for Design and Construction: The average floor area usage of the kindergarten per child shall comply with the provisions of the Kindergarten Charter. All school buildings, kindergartens (including separate points) shall be constructed solidly or semi-solidly. The campus shall be separated from the outside by brick, wood, metal walls, or trimmed greenery as fences. The main gate shall have a signboard with the school name as prescribed in the Kindergarten Charter. Within the kindergarten area, there shall be clean water sources and a sanitary drainage system.

4. Functional Rooms

a) Group of rooms for preschool groups and kindergarten classes:

- Common room: Ensuring the average floor area per child as prescribed in the Kindergarten Charter. Equipped with sufficient desks and chairs for teachers and children, adequate toys, educational materials for children's activities; decorated with beautiful and appropriate pictures, flowers, and potted plants. All equipment must comply with the specifications set by the Ministry of Education and Training;

- Sleeping room: Ensuring the average floor area per child as prescribed in the Kindergarten Charter. Fully equipped with items for children's sleep;

- Toilet: Ensuring the average floor area per child and complying with the requirements as prescribed in the Kindergarten Charter, built either enclosed or close to the group/classrooms, convenient for children to use, with an average of one toilet for every ten children; the place for urination and defecation shall be separated by a half-height partition wall of 1.2 meters high. For children under 24 months in kindergartens, an average of four children shall have one potty seat. There shall be sufficient clean water, hand washing basins with taps and soap, and sanitary facilities made of ceramic tiles suitable for children;

- Play porch (which may also serve as a place to organize lunch for children): Convenient for children's activities during rainy or sunny weather; complying with the specifications and average floor area per child as prescribed in the Kindergarten Charter. The distance between vertical bars of the play porch railing shall not exceed 0.1 meters;

b) Group of rooms for learning support:

- Physical education and arts room: With a minimum area of 60 square meters, equipped with devices and tools suitable for children's aesthetic and physical development activities (musical toys, clothing, costumes, dance props, drawing boards, exercise rings...);

c) Group of rooms for organizing meals:

- Kitchen area: Ensuring the average floor area per child as prescribed in the Kindergarten Charter; constructed according to a unidirectional operation process in sequence: raw material preparation area, cooking area, kitchen, food distribution area. Kitchen utensils shall be complete, hygienic, and neatly arranged for easy use;

- Food storage area: Divided into zones for different types of food, ensuring food safety regulations;

- Refrigerator for food samples.

d) Group of rooms for administrative management:

- School office: With a minimum area of 30 square meters, equipped with meeting tables and office cabinets, and display boards as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training;

- Principal's office: minimum area of 15m2, equipped with all necessary work tools and reception furniture;

- Deputy principals' offices: area and work equipment similar to the principal's office;

- Administrative management office: minimum area of 15m2, equipped with computers and other work tools;

- Health room: minimum area of 12m2, equipped with medical devices and health monitoring tools for children, displaying boards with positive intervention measures for treating illnesses and caring for underweight and overweight children; a vaccination and regular health check-up schedule board; promotional posters on child health care and disease prevention;

- Security guard's office: minimum area of 6m2; equipped with desks, chairs, clock, visitor logbook, and monitoring board;

- Staff room: minimum area of 16m2, equipped with personal storage cabinets;

- Teachers', staff, and administrative personnel's restroom: minimum area of 9m2; equipped with sufficient water supply, sink, and private shower stall;

- Parking area for teachers, staff, and administrative personnel ensuring safety and convenience;

5. Playground: The playground area is planned and designed appropriately. It includes greenery that is regularly maintained and trimmed to provide shade. There is a garden specifically for children to care for plants and discover nature, with areas paved with tiles (or concrete) and planted with grass, featuring at least five types of outdoor play equipment according to the list of outdoor equipment and toys for early childhood education issued by the Ministry of Education and Training. The playground is kept clean and has safety barriers around ponds or lakes (if present);

Article 10. Implementation of Socialization in Education

1. Schools effectively advise the Party Committee, local authorities, grassroots Education Councils, and relevant departments on policies and solutions to mobilize resources for the development of early childhood education in their area;

2. Activities to build an educational environment in preschools

a) Preschools conduct various promotional activities to enhance community understanding of early childhood education goals, encouraging community participation and oversight of school childcare and education activities to achieve educational objectives and plans;

b) Preschools collaborate with families in child care and education, providing favorable conditions for children's play and learning, maintaining regular communication between the preschool, teachers, and families through parent meetings, direct exchanges, or other methods to support child development;

c) Preschools lead and coordinate with community forces and families to organize festivals in accordance with the preschool education program, reflecting local traditions;

3. Preschools mobilize voluntary participation from families, communities, businesses, organizations, and individuals to strengthen infrastructure and organize educational activities;

Section 2

NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PRESCHOOLS MEETING NATIONAL STANDARDS

LEVEL 2

Article 11. Organization and Management

Meeting the provisions set out in Article 6 of this Regulation; for principals and deputy principals, they must hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a preschool teacher training institution.

Article 12. Teaching staff and personnel

Meet the provisions set out in Article 7 of this Regulation and the following requirements:

1. Quantity and level of education of teachers

Ensure the required number of teachers according to current regulations. At least 50% of teachers must meet or exceed the standard for educational qualifications.

2. Moral character, ethics, and professional competence.

a) At least 60% of teachers must be awarded the title of Excellent Teacher at the school level, with at least 30% of teachers being awarded the title of Excellent Teacher at the district level or higher;

b) Annually, at least 80% of teachers and staff must be awarded the title of Advanced Worker;

c) Annually, at least 70% of teachers must achieve a good or better rating, including at least 50% achieving an excellent rating according to the Early Childhood Education Teacher Competency Standards issued by the Ministry of Education and Training;

d) Each teacher must have a development plan after being evaluated and classified according to the Early Childhood Education Teacher Competency Standards. This plan must be kept in their personal file.

3. Professional activities

a) Each teacher must submit a report on improving and innovating childcare and education methods each academic year;

b) Teachers must have plans, knowledge, and skills for individualized care and education for underweight children, autistic children, and disabled children (if applicable).

Article 13. Quality of Childcare and Education

Meet the provisions set out in Article 8 of this Regulation and the following requirements:

1. Attendance rate of children: reach 95% or more for five-year-old children, and 90% or more for other age groups.

2. 100% of children eat at the school's boarding facility.

3. At least 95% of children develop normally in terms of weight and height according to their age.

Article 14. Scale of Schools, Classrooms, Physical Facilities, and Equipment

Meet the provisions set out in Article 9 of this Regulation and the following requirements:

1. The commune or ward where the school is located must be recognized as meeting the universal preschool education standard for five-year-old children.

2. Computer room: with a minimum area of 40 square meters equipped with appropriate information technology devices to serve children's play and learning activities.

3. Auditorium: with a minimum area of 70 square meters to serve festival and holiday activities; it can also be used as a place to display traditional exhibits, souvenirs, paintings, handmade teaching aids, and toys of the school.

4. Playground: with at least ten types of outdoor equipment and toys according to the list of outdoor equipment and toys for early childhood education issued by the Ministry of Education and Training; there should be a traffic play area and an outdoor stage.

Article 15. Socialization of Education

Meet the provisions set out in Article 10 of this Regulation and mobilize funding sources to support staff, teachers, and personnel in enhancing their qualifications through specialized training courses and study tours both domestically and internationally.

Chapter III

RECORDS AND PROCEDURES FOR RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR KINDERGARTENS

Article 16. Application Documents

The application documents for recognizing kindergartens as meeting national standards include:

1. Documents submitted to the District People's Committee (hereinafter referred to as the District-level People's Committee)

a) Self-inspection reports of the kindergarten according to each aspect of the national standard for kindergartens at Level 1 or Level 2 as stipulated in this Circular, confirmed by the Commune-level People's Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Commune-level People's Committee);

b) A proposal from the Chairman of the Commune-level People's Committee requesting the District-level People's Committee to inspect and review.

2. Documents submitted to the Provincial People's Committee

a) Self-inspection reports of the kindergarten according to each aspect of the national standard for kindergartens at Level 1 or Level 2 as stipulated in this Circular, confirmed by the Commune-level People's Committee;

b) Reports on the results of the inspection team's review at the district level (Annex II);

c) A proposal from the District-level People's Committee requesting the Provincial People's Committee to inspect and recognize.

Article 17. Procedures for inspection and recognition

The procedures for inspecting and recognizing kindergartens meeting the national standard at Level 1 and Level 2 are as follows:

1. Based on the standards set for kindergartens meeting the national standard, the kindergarten and the People's Committee of the commune shall conduct self-inspection and evaluation according to the levels of compliance. Upon determining that the kindergarten meets the national standard at which level, the People's Committee of the commune shall prepare a dossier to request the People's Committee of the district to organize verification at that level.

2. Within fifteen working days from the date of receiving a valid dossier, the People's Committee of the district shall decide to establish an inspection team and complete the verification process as requested by the People's Committee of the commune. In case the dossier is incomplete or does not comply with regulations, the People's Committee of the district shall return the dossier or send a document requesting the People's Committee of the commune to supplement it to make it valid.

The inspection team of the district (consisting of representatives of relevant agencies designated by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the district) shall conduct verification of the inspection and evaluation results of the People's Committee of the commune. Based on the verification results, upon determining that the kindergarten meets the national standard at which level, the inspection team shall prepare a report to submit to the People's Committee of the district to prepare a dossier to request the People's Committee of the province to organize verification at that level.

3. Within fifteen working days from the date of receiving a valid dossier, the People's Committee of the province shall decide to establish an inspection team and complete the verification process as requested by the People's Committee of the district. In case the dossier is incomplete or does not comply with regulations, the People's Committee of the province shall return the dossier or send a document requesting the People's Committee of the district to supplement it to make it valid;

The inspection team of the province (consisting of representatives of relevant agencies designated by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the province) shall conduct verification of the inspection and evaluation results of the People's Committee of the district. Based on the verification results, upon determining that the kindergarten meets the standard at which level, the inspection team shall prepare a proposal to request the Chairman of the People's Committee of the province to issue a decision and grant the Certificate of Meeting the National Standard at that level.

4. Within ten working days from the date of receiving the proposal document of the provincial inspection team, the Chairman of the People's Committee of the province shall issue a decision and grant the Certificate of Meeting the National Standard (Level 1 or Level 2) to the kindergarten.

Article 18. Content of Inspection and Evaluation

1. Listening to the kindergarten's report on its efforts and achievements in meeting the national standard for kindergartens at Level 1 or Level 2.

2. Inspecting according to the standards

a) Reviewing files and records: the kindergarten's school year plan, teachers' education plans, children's tracking records, kindergarten asset records, and other related documents and records as required by the inspection team;

b) Observing classes and assessing the quality of organizing childcare and educational activities, educational environment organization both inside and outside classrooms by teachers, and children's participation in the activities;

c) Inspecting the kindergarten's physical facilities and equipment;

d) Collecting opinions from individuals and organizations within and outside the kindergarten regarding the kindergarten's childcare and educational activities and other related issues if deemed necessary.

3. Preparing inspection and evaluation records for each aspect of the standard and concluding a comprehensive summary.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 19. Responsibilities of Kindergartens

The kindergarten management board is responsible for advising the local party committee and administration to develop plans to build and develop kindergartens to meet national standard criteria; maintaining, preserving, and enhancing achievements after being recognized as meeting the national standards.

Article 20. Responsibilities of the Department of Education and Training, Provincial Departments of Education and Training

1. Advising the People's Committees at all levels on planning to construct and invest in kindergartens within their jurisdiction to meet national standards.

2. Urging, supervising, and inspecting kindergartens in their efforts to achieve standards and maintain achieved standards.

3. Advising the People's Committees at all levels on requesting the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to revoke the Decision and Certificate recognizing the achievement of national standards for kindergartens that have been recognized but fail to maintain and enhance their achievements.

4. Annually conducting summaries and evaluations of the movement to build kindergartens reaching national standards in the locality.

5. Reporting annually, at the end of each school year, on the results of building and recognizing kindergartens achieving national standards to the Ministry of Education and Training (Preschool Education Department).