Circular No. 08/2024/TT-BGDĐT guiding the integration of national defense and security education content in primary schools, junior high schools, and comprehensive secondary schools with multiple levels.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for integrating national defense and security education content

in primary schools, junior high schools

and multi-grade general secondary schools 

On the basis of Law on National Defense and Security Education June 19, 2013;

On the basis of Law on Education June 14, 2019;

Decree No. Decision No. 13/2014/NĐ-CP February 25, 2014 of the Government detailing and implementing measures to enforce the Law on National Defense and Security Education;

Decree No. Decision No. 139/2020/NĐ-CP November 27, 2020 of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of Decision No. 13/2014/NĐ-CP dated February 25, 2014 of the Government detailing and implementing measures to enforce Law on Education national defense and security;

Decree No. 86/2022/NĐ-CP October 24, 2022 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of National Defense and Security Education;

The Minister of Education and Training issues this Circular guiding the integration of national defense and security education content in primary schools, junior high schools and multi-grade general secondary schools.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Thông tư này quy định chi tiết khoản 4 Điều 38 Luật Thủy sản số 18/2017/QH14 đã được sửa đổi, bổ sung tại điểm c khoản 21 Điều 14 Luật số 146/2025/QH15.

This Circular guides the integration of national defense and security education content through subjects and educational activities in the general education program for primary schools, junior high schools and multi-grade general secondary schools (hereinafter referred to as primary schools and junior high schools), including: content, methods, forms, requirements to be achieved and conditions to ensure the implementation of integration.

Thông tư này áp dụng đối với tổ chức, cá nhân có liên quan đến hoạt động kinh doanh đối tượng thủy sản nuôi chủ lực trên lãnh thổ Việt Nam.

This Circular applies to primary schools and junior high schools; organizations and individuals related thereto.

Article 2. Implementation Principles

1. Ensuring consistency with the Party's guidelines and policies, and state laws and regulations.

2. Ensuring the goal of building and developing thinking, nurturing life skills, personality of Vietnamese people, loving the country, fellow citizens, socialism, pride and self-respect of the nation regarding the tradition of fighting against foreign invaders, protecting the country, having a sense of organization and discipline, spirit of unity; integrated content has a focus and key points through appropriate methods and forms.

3. Integrating national defense and security education content in primary schools and junior high schools must be consistent with the psychological and physiological characteristics of age groups; carried out through the content of subjects and educational activities; ensuring consistency between grade levels and not changing the framework of the general education program for each grade level.

Chapter II

CONTENT, METHODS, FORMS, REQUIREMENTS FOR INTEGRATING NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY EDUCATION

Article 3. Integrated Content

1. Content

Educating and promoting the Party's guidelines, policies, and state laws and regulations on national defense and security.

2. Specific Content

a) Primary School Level

- Implement integration in subjects and educational activities for each class, according to textbooks selected by the school, suitable for students' cognitive abilities at each locality, focusing on subjects such as Vietnamese Language; Natural Science and Society; Morality; History and Geography; Arts (Music, Fine Arts); Experiential Activities.

- Common Integration Theme from Grade 1 to Grade 5: educating love for hometown, peace, socialist Vietnam; pride and self-respect of the nation, gratitude towards heroes and martyrs who built and defended the country; protecting national security, maintaining public order and safety; introducing Vietnam's maritime and island sovereignty; educating a spirit of unity, mutual assistance, and discipline in study.

- Integration Theme by Grade

+ Grade 1: educating students about love for hometown, peace, and socialist Vietnam; introducing some images of the People's Army of Vietnam and the People's Public Security of Vietnam; some historical sites of the locality.

+ Grade 2: educating students about the spirit of national solidarity, the sacrifice of revolutionary soldiers during the resistance against French colonialism and US imperialism; introducing some images of officers and soldiers of the People's Army of Vietnam and the People's Public Security of Vietnam performing duties to protect the country and maintain public order and safety; educating students to love, share, help, and protect each other in their studies.

+ Grade 3: educating the tradition of resisting foreign invaders; introducing heroic examples of young people, children, and mothers of Vietnam's Heroic Mothers in the national liberation cause; activities and images of students participating in environmental protection in the locality and school.

+ Grade 4: introducing the administrative map of Vietnam, affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Islands; some songs about Vietnam's seas and islands; educating awareness of compliance with traffic laws and regulations.

+ Grade 5: introducing sovereignty and rights over seas and islands; some images of marine resource exploitation and development for economic and social progress, ensuring national defense and security; heroic examples of officers and soldiers of the People's Army of Vietnam and the People's Public Security of Vietnam in rescue operations.

b) Junior High School Level

- Implement integration in subjects and educational activities for each class, according to textbooks selected by the school, suitable for students' cognitive abilities at each locality, focusing on subjects such as Literature; Civic Education; History and Geography; Arts (Music, Fine Arts); Local Educational Content; Experiential and Vocational Activities.

- Common Integration Theme from Grade 6 to Grade 9: educating the spirit of unity and patriotism of the Vietnamese nation in building and defending the country throughout history; protecting maritime and island sovereignty; protecting territorial sovereignty, border security; citizens' rights and responsibilities in the construction and defense of the country; introducing some historical events of resisting foreign invaders; some contents about protecting personal information when using social media; introducing some contents about preventing and combating social evils among students; state policies on belief and religion.

- Integration Theme by Grade

+ Grade 6: introduce the history and traditions of the Vietnam People's Army and the Vietnam People's Public Security; historical places associated with national resistance wars against foreign invaders; the intelligent and creative combat methods of our people in national resistance wars against foreign invaders.

+ Grade 7: introduce activities and images protecting Vietnam's maritime and island sovereignty; some contents on protecting personal information when participating in social networks; freedom of belief and religion according to the law.

+ Grade 8: educate pride and self-respect for the nation and the strength of the whole-nation solidarity in fighting against foreign invaders; introduce some border markers; the harmful effects of social evils on all aspects of social life; the responsibility of students in preventing and combating school violence.

+ Grade 9: consequences of wars of aggression on the Vietnamese nation; some images about economic and social development and ensuring national defense and security; introduce some songs praising the glorious tradition of the Vietnam People's Army and the Vietnam People's Public Security; the responsibility of students in building and defending the Fatherland.

3. Duration of Integration

The duration of integrating national defense and security education content into subjects and educational activities should be appropriate to the general education program and the educational plan of primary schools and junior high schools; ensuring sufficient content of national defense and security education to be conveyed without increasing the study time of subjects and educational activities.

Article 4. Methods and Forms of Integration

1. Based on the objectives and content of lessons, experience, actual conditions, teachers integrate national defense and security education content in a way that is inspiring, concise, easy to remember and understand; promoting creativity, suitable for the psychological and physiological characteristics and cognitive level of students; combining illustrative images and appropriate physical objects with the objectives and content of the lesson; enhancing the application of information technology in integrated teaching and practice.

2. Integrating national defense and security education content through teaching lessons, teaching topics, experiential activities, vocational guidance inside and outside the classroom; visiting historical sites, museums, traditional houses, military units; organizing camping, reading books, listening to, and participating in storytelling competitions and contests on national defense and security.

Article 5. Requirements to be Achieved by Students

1. General Requirements

a) Requirements for Character Development

Forming and developing in students qualities such as patriotism, benevolence, honesty, responsibility, diligence; awareness and responsibility of citizens in building and defending the Socialist Fatherland of Vietnam.

b) Requirements for Competency Development

Forming and developing in students autonomous and self-study competencies; communication and cooperation; creative problem-solving skills through specific competencies: understanding national defense and security at a basic level; applying knowledge and skills learned to daily life.

2. Specific Requirements

a) Primary School Students

Forming an understanding of love for homeland and country; gratitude towards those who have contributed to the revolution and the country; loving and caring for family members; respecting teachers and showing affection and willingness to help friends. Cultivating discipline, team spirit, moral cultivation, and serious conduct in study, work, and daily life. Having a sense of regularity in daily routines, maintaining hygiene, and physical training; voluntarily adhering strictly to school rules and legal regulations.

b) Junior High School Students

Understanding the tradition of resisting foreign invaders throughout historical periods of founding and defending the country; the tradition of the Vietnam People's Army, the Vietnam People's Public Security, and the Self-Defense Militia; territorial sovereignty, maritime and island rights, and national border security; some basic contents in the nationwide movement to protect national security. Forming an understanding of national defense and security at a basic level, the responsibility of students towards the task of defending the country and maintaining public security and social order. Having pride and self-respect for the nation, love for the Fatherland and compatriots, organizational discipline, a spirit of unity, and voluntary compliance with legal regulations.

Chapter III

Article 6. Conditions for Ensuring the Implementation of Integrated National Defense and Security Education Content

Article 6. Material and Financial Resources

1. Primary schools and lower secondary schools shall fully exploit existing material resources; develop plans to invest and enhance minimum teaching facilities and equipment as prescribed by competent authorities; have sufficient materials related to national defense and security education content, knowledge, and skills to implement integration.

2. Localities, primary schools, and lower secondary schools shall ensure material resources and other necessary conditions to implement integrated national defense and security education content from regular school funding and other legitimate financial sources; grants and support from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals in accordance with the law; legitimate financial resources of non-public educational institutions and relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals.

Article 7. Teachers and Reporters

1. Teachers shall possess knowledge about national defense and security education appropriate to lesson content and subjects.

2. Reporters shall have knowledge and teaching capabilities in national defense and security education.

3. Encourage primary schools and lower secondary schools to invite historical witnesses, heroes of the people's armed forces, and outstanding role models to introduce traditional history in building and defending the country.

Chapter IV

ORGANIZATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

Article 8. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Education and Training

1. Lead and coordinate with relevant agencies and units to guide and inspect the implementation of regulations stipulated in this Circular.

2. Direct, guide, and inspect relevant agencies, units, organizations, and individuals to compile materials providing content, knowledge, and skills on national defense and security education.

3. Organize training and capacity building for teachers and reporters to implement integrated national defense and security education content.

4. Regularly synthesize, mid-term review, and conclude the implementation of this Circular and carry out commendation and disciplinary actions according to the law.

1. Direct provincial departments of education and training, district departments of education and training, primary schools, lower secondary schools, and relevant agencies and units to organize the implementation of regulations stipulated in this Circular.

2. Ensure financial resources for the task of integrating national defense and security education content into teaching programs and educational activities as prescribed in this Circular.

3. Conduct inspections and implement commendation and disciplinary actions according to the law.

Article 10. Responsibilities of Departments of Education and Training, District Departments of Education and Training, Primary Schools, and Lower Secondary Schools

1. Responsibilities of Departments of Education and Training

a) Advise the Chairman of the People's Committee of provinces and centrally-administered cities to ensure financial resources and direct the education sector to effectively implement the task of integrating national defense and security education content in primary and lower secondary schools.

c) Organize training and capacity building for teachers on content, methods, and forms of integrating national defense and security education content.

d) Monitor and evaluate the implementation of integrated national defense and security education content in primary and lower secondary schools.

e) Ensure that primary and lower secondary schools comply with all regulations and standards related to the content and methods of integrating national defense and security education content in subjects and educational activities.

g) Mid-term review, conclude, and report on the implementation of this Circular; commend and propose competent authorities to commend outstanding collectives and individuals; discipline and propose competent authorities to discipline collectives and individuals who violate the law.

2. Responsibilities of District Departments of Education and Training

a) Direct primary and lower secondary schools to develop plans and implement integrated national defense and security education content teaching according to the guidance of the department of education and training, suitable to the practical conditions of each locality and school; direct primary and lower secondary schools to guide students to participate in propaganda, dissemination, and legal education activities organized by localities.

b) Inspect and supervise the implementation of integrated national defense and security education content in primary and lower secondary schools.

c) Mid-term review, conclude, and report on the implementation of this Circular; commend and propose competent authorities to commend outstanding collectives and individuals in implementing integrated national defense and security education content; discipline and propose competent authorities to discipline collectives and individuals who violate the law.

3. Responsibilities of Primary Schools and Lower Secondary Schools

a) Develop and implement plans for integrated national defense and security education content teaching according to the directives and guidance of the department of education and training and district department of education and training, ensuring strictness and suitability to the practical conditions of each locality and school.

b) Organize propaganda, dissemination, and legal education; provide knowledge and skills on national defense and security for staff, teachers, and students.

c) Fully exploit existing material resources, develop plans to invest and supplement minimum teaching facilities and equipment as prescribed, models, and necessary items issued by competent authorities, learning materials, and materials related to national defense and security education content, knowledge, and skills.

d) Ensure absolute safety during teaching, learning, and activities integrating national defense and security education content.

e) Summarize, conclude, report on the implementation of this Circular; commend and propose competent authorities to commend collectives and individuals with outstanding achievements in integrating national defense and security education; handle and propose disciplinary measures for collectives and individuals who violate according to the provisions of the law.

1. Content of the report

a) In accordance with the contents stipulated in Articles 3, 4, and 5 of this Circular.

b) Work related to ensuring, managing material facilities, equipment, and documents serving the integration of national defense and security education in teaching and learning.

2. Forms of Reporting

a) Primary schools and lower secondary schools, departments of education and training shall report the results of integrating national defense and security education in their annual educational work reports according to regular schedules and at the end of each school year.

b) Departments of education and training shall report the results of integrating national defense and security education for students in primary and lower secondary schools to provincial/municipal people's committees under the central government and the Ministry of Education and Training according to regular schedules and at the end of each school year.

Article 12. Effectiveness and Responsibility for Implementation

1. This Circular takes effect from July 1, 2024, and replaces Circular No. 01/2017/TT-BGDĐT dated January 13, 2017, issued by the Minister of Education and Training guiding national defense and security education in primary and lower secondary schools.

2. The Head of the Office, the Director of the Department of National Defense and Security Education, the Heads of relevant units under the Ministry of Education and Training; the Chairpersons of provincial/municipal people's committees under the central government; the Directors of departments of education and training and relevant agencies and units are responsible for implementing this Circular./.