Circular No. 19/2025/TT-BGDĐT stipulates on rewarding and disciplining students.

CIRCULAR

REGULATIONS ON REWARDING AND DISCIPLINING STUDENTS

Based on the Education Law number 43/2019/QH14;

Based on the Law on Competition and Reward number 06/2022/QH15;

Pursuant to the Government Decree No. 37/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 26, 2025, stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

Pursuant to the proposal of the Director of the Department of Students and University Students;

The Minister of Education and Training issues this Circular regulating rewarding and disciplining students.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

1. This Circular regulates rewarding and disciplining students within educational institutions.

2. This Circular applies to: elementary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, general education schools with multiple levels, boarding schools for ethnic minorities, semi-boarding schools for ethnic minorities, specialized schools, gifted schools, continuing education centers, vocational training centers, vocational training and continuing education centers, junior colleges, community colleges with students studying general education programs, continuing education programs at the junior high school and senior high school levels (hereinafter referred to as educational institutions); heads of educational institutions (hereinafter referred to as principals); educational institution managers; teachers; staff; students studying general education programs, continuing education programs at the junior high school and senior high school levels at educational institutions (hereinafter referred to as students); parents or guardians of students (hereinafter referred to as student families) and related agencies, organizations, and individuals.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

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

1. Reminding is the act of educational institution managers, teachers, and staff directly speaking to students who have violated rules to draw their attention, learn from experience, and adjust their behavior.

2. Criticizing is the act of principals and class advisors strictly analyzing and evaluating violations through direct speech so that students recognize the consequences and take measures to correct their behavior.

3. Apologizing is the act of students verbally acknowledging their violations, clearly recognizing the wrongness of their actions, expressing regret for what they have done, hoping for forgiveness, and wishing to rectify the consequences caused to individuals or groups.

4. Writing a self-criticism report is the act of students acknowledging their violations in writing, clearly recognizing the wrongness of their actions, expressing regret for what they have done, hoping for forgiveness, and committing to learning from experience and rectifying the consequences caused to individuals or groups.

Article 3. General Principles on Rewarding and Disciplining Students

1. Rewarding and disciplining students must ensure educational value, humanism, and promote the progress of students.

2. Promote decentralization and delegation of authority, enhance autonomy and responsibility of educational institutions, principals, and teachers; ensure coordination between educational institutions, families, and society in rewarding and disciplining students.

3. Properly fulfill the functions, tasks, and powers of educational institutions in rewarding and disciplining students.

Chapter II

REWARDING

Article 4. Objectives and Principles of Rewarding

1. Objective

Rewarding aims to recognize, praise, encourage, and motivate students to improve themselves, strive for excellence in study and life; honor and promote good examples.

2. Principles

a) Ensure transparency, objectivity, accuracy, fairness, timeliness, appropriate recipients, and proportionality between the form of reward and the achievements obtained.

b) Depending on the achievements obtained, students may be commended or rewarded in various forms.

Article 5. Forms of commendation

1. Commendation before the class.

2. Commendation before the entire school.

3. Certificate of commendation from the principal.

4. Letter of commendation.

5. Other forms of commendation.

Article 6. Commendation before the class

1. Commendation before the class shall be implemented for students who have good behavior with positive influence on other students in the class or those who have notable progress in study and discipline.

2. The teacher decides and implements the commendation of students before the class at an appropriate time.

Article 7. Commendation before the entire school

1. Commendation before the entire school shall be implemented for students who have outstanding achievements, good behavior with positive influence on other students in the school or those who have remarkable achievements in study and discipline.

2. The class advisor proposes to the principal to commend students before the entire school.

Article 8. Certificate of commendation from the principal

1. The principal presents certificates of commendation to students in accordance with detailed regulations implementing certain provisions of the Law on Competition and Commendation for the education sector.

2. The class advisor bases on the results of study and discipline, and the achievements of students in the class, proposes to the principal to present certificates of commendation in accordance with the regulations.

3. Based on the proposal of the class advisor, the principal decides to present certificates of commendation in accordance with the regulations and chooses an appropriate time to organize solemnly to promptly encourage, motivate, honor, and set examples for students.

Article 9. Letter of commendation

1. Letters of commendation are implemented for students who have progressive results in study and discipline, who surpass themselves, or who have outstanding achievements.

2. Teachers, principals, management agencies decide to send letters of commendation to students based on the nature and level of their achievements.

Article 10. Other forms of commendation

1. In addition to the forms of commendation prescribed in this Circular, organizations, individuals may implement other forms of commendation suitable to the principles of commendation stipulated in this Circular and related legal documents to promptly encourage, set examples for students in study and discipline.

2. For commendations prescribed by the Law on Competition and Commendation and guiding documents, the principal commends students before the entire school and submits to competent authorities for commendation.

Chapter III

DISCIPLINE

Article 11. Objectives and Principles of Discipline

1. Objective

a) Discipline aims to prevent, stop, and handle violations by students.

b) Discipline aims to educate and assist students in recognizing their violations; adjusting their behavior voluntarily, rectifying consequences, self-cultivation, and discipline to progress and form habits and lifestyles of discipline.

2. Principles

a) Ensuring the initiative and positivity in performing tasks and rights of students; maintaining discipline and order in schools.

b) Respecting, being tolerant, objective, without prejudice, ensuring the right to participate and interests of students in related issues.

c) Ensuring appropriateness to the psychological, gender, physical characteristics, family circumstances, and cultural regional features of each student.

d) Not using disciplinary measures that are violent, insulting to dignity and reputation, affecting the physical and mental health of students.

Article 12. Acts and Levels of Violation for Disciplinary Consideration

1. Acts of Violation

a) Acts prohibited for students in educational institutions as stipulated in the Education Law.

b) Acts violating regulations of the school or competent state agencies.

2. Level of Violation

Management staff of educational institutions, teachers, and employees shall determine the level of violation based on the nature and consequences of the act of violation as follows:

a) Level 1 is a violation that harms the student themselves.

b) Level 2 is a violation that has a negative impact within a group or class.

c) Level 3 is a violation that has a negative impact within the entire school.

Article 13. Disciplinary Measures

1. Disciplinary measures for elementary school students

a) Warning;

b) Requesting an apology.

2. Disciplinary measures for students outside the category of elementary school students

a) Warning;

b) Criticism;

c) Requesting to write a self-criticism report.

Article 14. Application of Disciplinary Measures for Elementary School Students

1. The warning disciplinary measure is applied to students who commit acts of violation at Level 1 as specified in point a, Clause 2, Article 12 of this Circular.

2. The request for an apology disciplinary measure is applied to students who have already been subject to the warning disciplinary measure but continue to commit acts of violation at Level 1; students who commit acts of violation at Level 2 or higher as specified in points b and c, Clause 2, Article 12 of this Circular.

Article 15. Application of Disciplinary Measures for Students Outside the Category of Elementary School Students

1. The warning disciplinary measure is applied to students who commit acts of violation at Level 1 as specified in point a, Clause 2, Article 12 of this Circular.

2. The criticism disciplinary measure is applied to students who have already been subject to the warning disciplinary measure but continue to commit acts of violation at Level 1; students who commit acts of violation at Level 2 as specified in point b, Clause 2, Article 12 of this Circular.

3. The request to write a self-criticism report disciplinary measure is applied to students who have already been subject to the criticism disciplinary measure but continue to commit acts of violation at Level 2; students who commit acts of violation at Level 3 as specified in point c, Clause 2, Article 12 of this Circular. The self-criticism report of the student must be confirmed and committed to by the family with the school regarding cooperation in management, education, and support for the student's recognition, learning from experience, and remedying the consequences for the individual or collective affected by the student's mistake. The self-criticism report of the student is kept in the school's file.

Article 16. Activities to Support the Remediation of Violations

1. Activities to support the remediation of violations include:

a) Advising and encouraging students to recognize their own violations and guide them towards correction.

b) Monitoring, counseling, and supporting students who violate during the process of correcting their behavior.

c) Requiring students to participate in certain activities related to school counseling, social work within the school, skill education, and other appropriate activities decided by the school to change their perception, adjust their behavior, and remedy the consequences of their violations.

d) Cooperating with the families of students and other forces to counsel, manage, and support students in changing their perceptions, adjusting their behavior, and remedying the consequences of their violations.

e) Other supportive activities consistent with the purpose and principles of student discipline as stipulated in Article 11 of this Circular and the practical situation of the school.

2. Supportive activities are implemented when students have committed violations but have not yet been subject to disciplinary measures; students who are currently being subjected to one of the disciplinary measures specified in Article 13.

3. The authority to apply activities to support the remediation of violations is the person authorized to impose discipline as stipulated in Article 17 of this Circular; or a person designated by the principal.

Article 17. Disciplinary Authority

1. The principal and class advisors shall implement the disciplinary measures prescribed in Article 13 of this Circular.

2. Educational institution managers, teachers, and staff shall implement the disciplinary measures prescribed in Clause 1, Point a, Clause 2, Article 13 of this Circular, and cooperate with class advisors to implement the disciplinary measures prescribed in Points b and c, Clause 2, Article 13 of this Circular.

Chapter IV

RESPONSIBILITIES OF AGENCIES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INSPECTION CONCLUSIONS

Article 18. Responsibilities of the School and Members of the School

1. Responsibilities of the school

a) Based on actual conditions, promulgate regulations on forms and levels of rewards for students who receive commendations from the principal and other forms of rewards that comply with legal provisions.

b) Supervise and inspect the implementation of democratic procedures in student awarding and disciplinary activities in accordance with legal provisions.

2. Responsibilities of the principal

a) Organize propaganda and dissemination to all students, members of the school, parents of students, and organizations to implement student awards and discipline according to regulations.

b) Decide on student awards and discipline within their authority. Bear legal responsibility for the implementation of student awarding and disciplinary work.

c) Assign tasks to members of the school and coordinate with external forces to carry out support activities to help students overcome violations.

3. Responsibilities of class advisors

a) Strictly implement regulations on student awards and discipline;

b) Propose forms of student awards and discipline within the principal's authority;

c) Serve as the main point of contact to assist the principal in coordinating with parents of students and other forces to promote students' capabilities, provide timely encouragement and rewards, and advise, supervise, manage, and support to limit students' violation behaviors.

d) Bear legal responsibility and responsibility before the principal for the implementation of student awards and discipline within their authority.

4. Responsibilities of educational institution managers, teachers, staff, and school organizations

a) Strictly implement regulations on student awards and discipline;

b) Coordinate with class advisors to propose forms of student awards and discipline within the principal's authority.

5. Responsibilities of students

Strictly implement regulations on student awards and discipline.

Article 19. Responsibilities of Parents of Students

1. Actively and proactively coordinate in managing and educating students to strictly follow regulations on student awards and discipline.

2. Create conditions and support to encourage and motivate students to develop qualities and abilities and make progress in studies and training.

3. Manage, monitor, advise, and support students at risk or showing signs leading to violation behavior. Confirm in the self-criticism report of the student (if any) and commit to the school in coordinating management, education, and support for students to recognize, learn from experience, and correct violation behavior caused by the student towards individuals or groups.

Article 20. Responsibilities of the Department of Education and Training

Direct, guide, inspect, and supervise schools under its jurisdiction in implementing this Circular.

Chapter V

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 21. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from October 31, 2025, and replaces Circular No. 08/TT dated March 21, 1988, issued by the Ministry of Education guiding the awarding and disciplinary actions for students in general secondary schools.

Article 22. Responsibility for enforcement

The Director of the Office, the Head of the Student and Youth Department, Heads of relevant units under the Ministry of Education and Training; Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities; Directors of Departments of Education and Training; Chairpersons of People's Committees of communes; related agencies, organizations, units, and individuals are responsible for enforcing this Circular./.