Circular No. 17/2011/TT-BGDĐT Issuing the Standards for Principals of Kindergartens

CIRCULAR

Issuing standards for kindergarten principals

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. 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. 24/2010/NĐ-CP dated March 15, 2010 of the Government on recruitment, employment, and management of civil servants and Decree No. 93/2010/NĐ-CP dated August 31, 2010 amending certain articles of Decree No. 24/2010/NĐ-CP on recruitment, employment, and management of civil servants;

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;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Management Staff, the Minister of Education and Training decides:

Clause 4 of Article 6To issue with this Circular the Standards for Kindergarten Principals.

Article 2. This Circular takes effect from June 2, 2011.

Article 3. The Heads of the Office, Directors of the Department of Teachers and Educational Management Staff, Heads of units related to the Ministry of Education and Training, People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities; Directors of Departments of Education and Training, Principals of kindergartens, nursery schools, and children’s houses, and other relevant organizations and individuals shall be responsible for implementing this Circular./.

REGULATIONS

Standards for Kindergarten Principals
(Issued together with Circular No. 17/2011/TT-BGDĐT dated April 14, 2011 of the Minister of Education and Training)

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of regulation and applicable subjects

1. This document stipulates the Standards for Kindergarten Principals, including: Standards for Principals; evaluation and classification of Principals according to these Standards.

2. These provisions apply to Principals of kindergartens, nursery schools, and children’s houses within the national education system (hereinafter referred to collectively as Principals).

Article 2. Purpose of issuing the Standards for Principals

1. To serve as a basis for Principals to self-assess and develop plans for training, learning, and self-improvement aimed at continuously enhancing their political qualities, professional ethics; subject matter expertise and pedagogical skills; leadership and management capabilities of preschool institutions; and organizational and coordination capabilities with families and society.

2. To serve as a basis for educational management agencies to evaluate and classify Principals for personnel utilization, appointment, dismissal, training, and development, and to propose and implement policies for Principals;

3. To serve as a basis for educational training and development institutions to reform their curricula and methods to enhance the leadership and management capabilities of Principals.

Article 3. Definitions

In this document, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. The Standards for Principals comprise a set of criteria for Principals regarding political qualities, professional ethics; subject matter expertise and pedagogical skills; school management capabilities; and organizational and coordination capabilities with families and society.

2. Criteria refer to regulations concerning fundamental and distinctive contents within each domain of the standards.

3. Indicators are requirements and conditions that must be met in specific aspects of each criterion.

4. Evidence consists of documents, materials, objects, phenomena, and witnesses cited to objectively confirm the level achieved in indicators.

Chapter II

STANDARDS FOR PRINCIPALS

Article 4. Criterion 1: Political Qualities and Professional Ethics

1. Indicator 1. Political Qualities

a) Love the Socialist Vietnam, the interests of the nation, the happiness of the people, and be loyal to the Communist Party of Vietnam;

b) Adhere to the Party's guidelines and policies; state laws; regulations, rules, and provisions of the sector, locality, and school;

c) Actively participate in political and social activities; fulfill civic duties fully;

d) Implement measures to prevent corruption, bureaucracy, and waste; practice thrift.

2. Indicator 2. Professional Ethics

a) Maintain the integrity, honor, and reputation of teachers; be honest, dedicated to the profession, and responsible in school management;

b) Fulfill assigned tasks and create conditions for staff to perform and complete their tasks;

c) Not abuse positions or powers for personal gain;

d) Be trusted by the staff, parents, and community; be a role model in the teaching staff.

3. Indicator 3. Lifestyle and Conduct

a) Have a healthy, civilized lifestyle consistent with national cultural identity and educational environment;

b) Live kindly, tolerant, and forgiving;

c) Demonstrate scientific and pedagogical work conduct.

4. Indicator 4. Communication and Behavior

a) Be friendly, loving, respectful, and fair to children;

b) Be close, respectful, fair, equal, and supportive to staff;

c) Cooperate and respect parents;

d) Collaborate with local authorities and the community in caring for and educating children.

5. Indicator 5. Learning and Development

a) Engage in learning, development, and self-improvement to enhance political qualities, professional ethics; subject matter expertise and pedagogical skills; leadership and management capabilities;

b) Create conditions and support staff in learning, development, and self-improvement to enhance political qualities, professional ethics; subject matter expertise and pedagogical skills.

Article 5. Criterion 2: Subject Matter Expertise and Pedagogical Skills

1. Indicator 6. Subject Matter Expertise

a) Meet the standard training requirements for teachers as prescribed by the Education Law for early childhood education;

b) Possess the expertise to guide nurturing, care, and education activities for preschool-aged children;

c) Provide consulting, guidance, and assistance to staff on early childhood education expertise;

d) Have general knowledge about politics, economy, health, culture, and society related to early childhood education.

2. Indicator 7. Pedagogical Skills

a) Be able to apply specialized methods of early childhood education in nurturing, care, and education;

b) Possess the ability to organize nurturing, care, and education activities for preschool-aged children;

c) Provide consulting, guidance, and assistance to staff on pedagogical skills in early childhood education.

3. Indicator 8. Ability to Implement Early Childhood Education Programs

a) Understand the early childhood education program;

b) Possess the ability to implement the early childhood education program appropriately for the target group and actual conditions of the school and locality;

c) Guide and assist staff in implementing the early childhood education program and plan.

Article 6. Criterion 3: School Management Capabilities

1. Indicator 9. Understanding of Management Practices

a) Complete the training program for educational management officials as prescribed;

b) Be able to apply basic knowledge on theoretical and practical management in leadership and school administration.

2. Criterion 10. Building and implementing plans for the development of the school

a) Forecast the development of the school to serve the construction of planning and programs;

b) Build and organize the implementation of comprehensive and appropriate development plans for the school;

c) Build and organize the implementation of the academic year plan.

3. Criterion 11. Managing organizational structure, staff, teachers, and employees of the school

a) Establish, improve the organizational structure, appoint managerial positions according to regulations; Manage the activities of the school's organizational structure to ensure educational quality;

b) Utilize, train, evaluate, rank, reward, discipline, and implement policies and benefits for staff, teachers, and employees according to regulations;

c) Organize competitive activities within the school; build a team of staff, teachers, and employees with sufficient qualities and capabilities to achieve educational goals and gain the trust of parents.

4. Criterion 12. Managing children in the school

a) Organize the mobilization and reception of children within the age range in the area to school as prescribed, implement universal preschool education for five-year-old children;

b) Organize the management of children in preschools according to regulations;

c) Organize inclusive education for children from difficult backgrounds and those with disabilities in the school;

d) Implement policies and protect the rights of children.

5. Criterion 13. Managing nurturing, care, and education activities for children

a) Organize and direct nurturing and care activities to ensure safety and health for children;

b) Organize and direct educational activities to promote comprehensive and harmonious development of children;

c) Manage the evaluation of results of nurturing, care, and education of children according to regulations.

6. Criterion 14. Managing financial resources and assets of the school

a) Mobilize and use financial resources according to the law to support nurturing, care, and education activities;

b) Manage and use finances and assets according to their intended purposes and according to the law;

c) Construct, maintain, exploit, and use facilities, equipment, materials, and toys of the school according to regulations.

7. Criterion 15. Administrative management and information system management

a) Develop and implement regulations on administrative management in the school;

b) Manage and use records and ledgers according to regulations;

c) Develop and use an information system to support management activities, nurturing, care, and education of children in the school; timely and fully report according to regulations;

d) Organize the use of information technology to support management activities and implement early childhood education programs.

8. Criterion 16. Organizing inspection and quality assessment of education

a) Organize inspections and evaluations of nurturing, care, education activities for children and school management according to regulations;

b) Comply with educational inspections conducted by various levels of management according to regulations;

c) Implement quality assessments of nurturing, care, and education of children according to regulations.

9. Criterion 17. Implementing democracy in school activities

a) Develop democratic regulations in the school according to regulations;

b) Organize the implementation of grassroots democratic regulations, creating conditions for organizations and social groups in the school to operate to enhance the quality of nurturing, care, and education of children.

Article 7. Standard 4. Organizational Coordination with Parents and Society

1. Criterion 18. Organizing coordination with parents

a) Organize coordination with parents and the Parent Council to implement nurturing, care, and education activities for children.

b) Organize propaganda among parents and the community about the school's activities, traditions, culture, and the goals and tasks of early childhood education;

c) Organize the dissemination of scientific knowledge on nurturing, care, and education of children to parents and the community.

2. Criterion 19. Coordination between the school and the locality

a) Advise local party committees and authorities to develop early childhood education in the area;

b) Organize the mobilization of community resources, economic, political-social organizations, and individuals in the community to contribute to building the school to achieve early childhood education goals;

c) Organize participation of staff, teachers, employees, and children in community social activities.

Chapter III

EVALUATION AND RANKING OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS BASED ON STANDARDS

Article 8. Requirements for evaluating and ranking school principals

1. The evaluation and ranking of school principals must be objective, comprehensive, scientific, fair, and democratic; reflecting the true qualities, abilities, and effectiveness of work, placed within the scope of work and specific conditions of the school and locality.

2. The evaluation and ranking of school principals must be based on results that are proven to meet the criteria and standards set out in Chapter II of this document.

Article 9. Methods for Evaluating and Ranking School Principals

1. The evaluation of school principals must be based on results achieved based on relevant evidence to score each criterion. The criterion score is calculated on a scale of 10 points, as a whole number, the maximum total score for 19 criteria is 190.

2. The ranking of school principals must be based on the total score and the level of achievement of the criteria, specifically as follows:

a) Meeting the standard:

- Excellent category: Total score from 171 to 190 and each criterion must reach 8 points or higher;

- Good category: Total score from 133 or higher and each criterion must reach 6 points or higher;

- Average category: Total score from 95 or higher, criteria of standard 1 and 3 must reach 5 points or higher, no criterion can be 0 points.

b) Not meeting the standard - poor category:

Total score below 95 or falls into one of the following two cases:

- Having a criterion with 0 points;

- Criteria in standards 1 and 3 below 5 points.

Article 10. Components and Evaluation Process for Ranking School Principals

1. The components for evaluating and classifying the principal include: the principal, deputy principals, representatives of the grassroots Party organization, the Trade Union Executive Committee, the Communist Youth Union Executive Committee of the school; permanent staff members of the school; the head of the directly managing agency.

2. The evaluation and classification process for the principal:

a) The principal self-evaluates and classifies according to the form in Appendix 1.

b) The school organizes the evaluation of the principal:

The representative of the grassroots Party organization or the Trade Union Executive Committee of the school takes the lead in implementing the following steps:

- The principal reports the results of self-evaluation and classification before the collective of staff members of the school;

- Permanent staff members of the school provide comments and participate in evaluating the principal according to the form in Appendix 2;

- Deputy principals, representatives of the grassroots Party organization, the Trade Union Executive Committee, and the Communist Youth Union Executive Committee of the school compile the comments and results of the participation in evaluating the principal by the permanent staff members of the school; provide remarks and suggestions for the principal according to the form in Appendix 3.

c) The head of the directly managing agency evaluates the principal:

- Refers to the results of self-evaluation and classification of the principal; the results of the collective evaluation of staff members of the school (as shown in the forms of Appendices 1, 2, and 3) and other authentic information sources, officially evaluates and classifies the principal according to the form in Appendix 4;

- Notifies the results of the evaluation and classification to the principal, to the collective of teachers and staff members of the school, and retains the results in the staff member's file.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 11. Implementing the evaluation and classification of the principal

1. The evaluation and classification of the principal is conducted annually at the end of the academic year.

2. For principals of kindergartens, nursery schools, and childcare centers, in addition to evaluating and classifying the principal according to the Standards, they must also conduct evaluations and classifications according to current regulations.

Article 12. Responsibilities of ministries and localities

1. Ministries and agencies equivalent to ministries managing kindergartens direct and guide the implementation of this Circular and report the results of the evaluation and classification of principals to the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. The Director of the Department of Education and Training advises the Provincial People's Committee to develop plans and organize, direct, and guide the People's Committees of districts to implement this Circular; report to the Provincial People's Committee and the Ministry of Education and Training the results of the evaluation and classification of principals.

3. The Head of the Education and Training Division advises the District People's Committee to implement plans and direct schools to carry out this Circular; report to the District People's Committee and the Department of Education and Training the results of the evaluation and classification of principals./.