Circular No. 31/2010/TT-BLDTBXH guiding the development of training programs and the compilation of vocational textbooks for primary level vocational education.

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for developing programs and compiling textbooks for primary vocational training

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Pursuant to the Vocational Training Law dated November 29, 2006;

Pursuant to Decree No. 186/2007/NĐ-CP dated December 25, 2007 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs;

Pursuant to Decree No. 70/2009/NĐ-CP dated August 21, 2009 of the Government stipulating responsibilities for state management of vocational training;

Pursuant to Decision No. 86/2008/QĐ-TTg dated July 3, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the General Department of Vocational Training under the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs;

Pursuant to Decision No. 1956/2009/QĐ-TTg dated November 27, 2009 of the Prime Minister approving the Project "Vocational Training for Rural Laborers until 2020";

The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs hereby provides guidelines for developing programs and compiling textbooks for primary vocational training as follows:

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

This Circular guides the principles, contents, structure, time frame, organization procedures for developing, reviewing, and approving programs and textbooks for primary vocational training, serving as a basis for heads of vocational training institutions that have registered to conduct primary vocational training when developing programs and textbooks.

Article 2. Principles for Developing Programs and Compiling Textbooks

Clause 1. Principles for Developing Programs

Point a) Ensuring the objectives of primary vocational training as stipulated in Article 10, Chapter II of the Vocational Training Law;

Point b) Based on job analysis and work analysis to determine the training standards of knowledge and skills for the profession and based on the ability to perform;

Point c) Ensuring systematicity, scientificity, practicality, flexibility according to the needs of the labor market, connectivity in vocational training, and ensuring that hands-on learning time is predominant;

Clause 2. Principles for Compiling Textbooks

Point a) Ensuring the specificization of the program; providing necessary knowledge to perform the work;

Point b) Ensuring systematicity, pedagogical nature, and self-assessment during study; ensuring balance and appropriateness between textual and visual channels;

Point c) Presenting concisely, simply, and clearly; using consistent and common occupational terms.

Article 3. Contents and Structure of Programs and Textbooks

Clause 1. Contents and Structure of Programs

Point a) Program content specifies the duration of the course; the structure of content; the number and duration of modules/courses; allocation of time between theory and practice;

Point b) Program structure: Course objectives; course duration; list, duration, time allocation, and program of each module/course; guidance on using the program.

Clause 2. Contents and Structure of Module/Course Textbooks

Point a) Main contents of module/course textbooks include: General information; textbook objectives; chapter/unit objectives; necessary knowledge to perform the work; process and method of performing the work; exercises and practical products of students;

Point b) Requirements for assessing learning outcomes at the end of each chapter/unit and module/course.

Article 4. Time Frame Structure of the Course and Units of Time in the Program

Clause 1. Course duration includes study time and time for common activities.

Clause 2. Units of Time

Point a) Course duration is calculated in months and weeks;

Point b) One hour of practical or modular study is 60 minutes, equivalent to one standard hour;

Point c) One hour of theoretical study is 45 minutes, equivalent to one standard hour;

Point d) A day of theoretical study does not exceed six standard hours;

Point e) A day of modular or practical study does not exceed eight standard hours;

Point f) A week of theoretical study does not exceed thirty standard hours;

Point g) A week of modular or practical study does not exceed forty standard hours;

Point h) A minimum of twenty-five standard hours of actual study per week.

Clause 3. Actual study time is the minimum time required to ensure that students achieve the training objectives of the course upon completion, measured in hours.

Article 5. Duration and Allocation of Time for the Course

Clause 1. The duration of the course shall be from three months to less than one year, depending on the vocational training objectives of each course and the profession being trained, suitable for individuals with appropriate educational qualifications and health conditions.

Clause 2. The allocation of time for the course modules and subjects shall follow the model prescribed in Appendix 1 of this Circular; theoretical instruction accounts for 10% to 30%, practical training accounts for 70% to 90%.

Article 6. Process for Developing the Curriculum and Compiling Textbooks

1. Preparation.

Establish a Steering Committee headed by the director of the primary vocational training institution or the competent authority to approve the development of the overall and detailed outlines; sign contracts; train the Steering Committee in developing the curriculum and compiling textbooks.

Clause 2. Job Analysis and Task Analysis

Conduct job analysis and task analysis to establish the vocational training knowledge and skill standards (following the model prescribed in Appendices I and II of Decision No. 09/2008/QĐ-BLĐTBXH dated March 27, 2008 of the Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs on Issuing Regulations on Principles, Procedures for Developing and Issuing National Vocational Skill Standards) including: conducting surveys, soliciting expert opinions on the job analysis form; compiling the job analysis form with at least three steps; soliciting expert opinions on the task analysis form; finalizing; synthesizing and completing the job analysis and task analysis report.

Clause 3. Program Design

Program design includes arranging the list of tasks within the program; consolidating the required vocational knowledge and skills; establishing relationships between modules/subjects and tasks; creating a relationship diagram between modules/subjects; designing the program structure, determining training objectives, course duration, actual study time, module/subject list, time and allocation of time for each module/subject, determining assessment requirements and methods according to the models prescribed in Appendices 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of this Circular.

Clause 4. Compiling the Program and Textbooks

Point a) Compiling the Program: Compiling the module/subject program includes stating the position, nature; module/subject objectives; module/subject content; implementation conditions; evaluation methods and content; guidance on implementing according to the models prescribed in Appendices 7 and 8 of this Circular; supervising program compilation guidance; soliciting expert opinions on the program.

Point b) Compiling Textbooks: Determining the position, significance, role, specific objectives, number of chapters of the module/subject; main content, necessary knowledge, steps to perform tasks, exercises to develop skills, evaluating learning outcomes chapter/module-wise and module/subject-wise; compiling the module/subject textbook according to the model prescribed in Appendix 9 of this Circular; supervising textbook compilation guidance; soliciting expert opinions on the textbook.

Clause 4. Workshop to Finalize Drafts on Program Design and Compilation; Workshop on Textbook Compilation

Workshop participants include representatives of experts from enterprises, managers, researchers, and vocational teachers (numbering from fifteen to twenty people).

Clause 5. Revising and Editing the Overall Program and Textbook

Revise and edit the overall program and textbook.

Clause 6. Defending the Program and Textbook

Submit draft programs and textbooks to the Acceptance Board and contracting unit; defend the program and textbook before the Acceptance Board; submit products accepted by the Acceptance Board to the contracting unit.

Article 7. Tasks and Authorities of the Leading Unit and the Steering Committee for Building Programs and Compiling Textbooks

1. The Leading Unit: Is the vocational training institution or the unit selected by the competent authority that approves programs and textbooks; responsible for selecting or proposing a list of steering committee members to the competent authority; guiding, inspecting, supervising the expenditure of funds by the steering committee, and retaining settlement vouchers at the unit in accordance with regulations.

2. The steering committee consists of teachers, vocational management staff, experts from enterprises, including at least one-third of the total number of members being teachers currently teaching relevant trades; the structure includes the chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary member, and other members; the number ranges from 5 to 7 people; each member must have a college-level vocational degree or higher, with at least two years of experience in the relevant field.

3. Responsibilities and Authorities of the Steering Committee:

a) Self-management and self-responsibility during the process of organizing program building and textbook compilation;

b) Organizing the construction of programs and compiling textbooks;

c) Being responsible for the content and quality of the programs and textbooks assigned; reporting to the Acceptance Council and completing the draft; submitting the accepted programs and textbooks to the competent authority for approval;

d) The steering committee may use the seal, account, and related departments of the leading unit to carry out its work.

Article 8. Acceptance Process for Programs and Textbooks

1. Preparation.

Establish an Acceptance Council headed by the person in charge of the competent authority to develop an acceptance plan; train the Acceptance Council on program building and textbook compilation; study materials, prepare written comments and evaluations of the draft programs and textbooks, submit them to the Chairperson of the Acceptance Council, and notify the steering committee of the acceptance plan.

2. Organization of Acceptance

Reports from the Steering Committee; members of the Acceptance Council discuss and publicly evaluate the draft programs and textbooks; vote on the quality of the draft programs and textbooks according to the model specified in Appendix 10 of this Circular. The Chairperson of the Acceptance Council compiles the evaluation opinions of the council members and concludes on the quality of the draft programs and textbooks, and proposes subsequent acceptance forms.

3. Reporting on Acceptance Results

The Chairperson of the Acceptance Council reports the results of the review of programs and textbooks to the head of the vocational training institution or the competent authority for consideration and decision.

Article 9. Acceptance Council for Programs and Textbooks

1. The Acceptance Council is established by the competent authority or the head of the vocational training institution approving the programs and textbooks.

2. Functions, Tasks, and Authorities of the Acceptance Council: Professional consultation; commenting, evaluating, organizing acceptance, being responsible for the quality of the accepted programs and textbooks; reporting acceptance results and recommending approval of the programs and textbooks to the competent authority.

3. Composition of the Acceptance Council includes: Teachers, vocational management staff, experts from enterprises; the structure includes the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary member, and other members; the number ranges from 5 to 7 people; each member must have a college-level vocational degree or higher or be skilled artisans or highly skilled individuals, with at least three years of experience in the relevant field.

4. Principles of Operation of the Acceptance Council: The council operates under the principle of democratic centralism under the chairperson's direction; the meeting of the Acceptance Council must ensure the presence of at least two-thirds of the total number of council members to be valid; the Acceptance Council must establish an acceptance record to report to the head of the vocational training institution or the competent authority for approval.

Article 10. Responsibilities of Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies under the Government, People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities

Directives, vocational training institutions under their management shall base on this Circular to organize the construction, examination, and approval of programs and textbooks.

Article 11. Responsibilities of the General Department of Vocational Training

1. Guide vocational training institutions; the Board of Directors builds programs and textbooks and the Acceptance Council implements this Circular;

2. Organize for vocational training institutions to construct, accept, and approve programs and textbooks for common trades to recommend for general application nationwide.

Article 12. Implementation Provisions

1. This Circular takes effect from November 28, 2010.

2. During implementation, if there are difficulties, they should be reported to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs for clarification./.