Circular No. 33/2020/TT-BGDĐT on the examination of local educational materials

CIRCULAR

Regulations on the review of local educational materials 

Pursuant to the Education Law No. 43/2019/QH14 dated June 14, 2019;

Pursuant to Decree No. 69/2017/NĐ-CP dated May 25, 2017 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

This Circular annexes the Regulation on the organization and operation of primary schools, junior high schools, high schools, and general education schools with multiple levels of private type.

The Minister of Education and Training issues this Circular to regulate the review of local educational materials. 

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Article 1. This Circular regulates the review of local educational materials (hereinafter referred to as materials) organized for compilation by the People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities (hereinafter collectively referred to as the provincial People's Committee).

Article 2. This Circular applies to the provincial People's Committee, Departments of Education and Training, Departments of Education and Science and Technology (collectively referred to as Departments of Education and Training), primary schools, secondary schools, high schools, general education schools with multiple levels, and educational institutions implementing the general education program (collectively referred to as general education schools) and related organizations and individuals.

Article 2. Principles of organizing the review of materials

Clause 1. Compliance with Vietnamese laws.

Clause 2. Ensuring concentration, democracy, objectivity, and honesty.

Article 3. Criteria for reviewing materials

Clause 1. Prerequisite criteria for materials

Point a) The content and form of the materials must not contravene Vietnamese laws and must comply with national standards for publications.

Point b) The content and form of the materials must not contain biases regarding ethnicity, religion, profession, gender, age, and social status.

Clause 2. Content criteria for materials

Point a) The content of the materials accurately and comprehensively reflects cultural and historical traditions of the locality; geographical, economic, vocational issues of the locality; political-social and environmental issues of the locality, and other contents according to the local education content specified in the general education program issued by the Minister of Education and Training (hereinafter referred to as the general education program); ensuring fundamentality, scientific accuracy, practicality, and suitability to the locality’s reality.

Point b) Terminology, concepts, definitions, data, events, images must be accurate, objective, consistent, and appropriate to students' level; data, events, images must have clear sources.

Point c) New scientific achievements related to local education content are updated and consistent with the goals of the general education program. The material has openness, encouraging diverse approaches to meet the goals and requirements for local education content.

Point d) Educational content about national sovereignty, human rights, children's rights, gender equality, sustainable development, environmental protection, and adaptation to climate change is appropriately reflected.

Clause 3. Criteria for teaching methods, forms, and assessment in materials

Point a) The content of the materials creates conditions for teachers to creatively apply teaching methods and forms centered around student learning activities; emphasizing practical application of knowledge to solve real-world problems of the locality; providing opportunities and encouragement for students to be proactive, creative, and to develop their potential.

Point b) The content of the materials accurately and fully reflects the required achievement levels of students' qualities and abilities and the requirements for assessing educational outcomes, suitable to the socio-economic characteristics of the locality and the required achievement levels of students' qualities and abilities in the general education program, serving as a basis for accurately assessing educational outcomes.

Clause 4. Structure and presentation format criteria for materials

Point a) Materials are designed according to topics that are compatible with the content specified in Clause 2 of this Article and are consistent with the educational plans for each subject and activity at each grade level in the general education program.

Point b) The presentation format of the materials balances and harmonizes textual and visual channels, symbol systems, icons, font styles, and sizes; illustrations, photographs, tables, charts, graphs, maps, and drawings are appropriate to the lesson content and students' age groups.

Clause 5. Language usage criteria in materials

The language used in the materials is Vietnamese, adhering to spelling and grammar rules, abbreviations, symbols, transliterations, and measurement units as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training; expressed clearly, easily understood, accurately conveying the intended content, and suitable to students' age groups.

Chapter II

ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITIES OF THE MATERIAL REVIEW BOARD

Article 4. The Appraisal Board for Materials

1. The Appraisal Board for Materials (hereinafter referred to as the Board) shall be established by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to assist the Provincial People's Committee in appraising materials. The Board shall be established according to educational levels.

2. The Board shall consist of scientists, educators, education managers, cultural and artistic practitioners, and representatives of related organizations; at least one-third (one third) of its members must be teachers currently teaching at the corresponding educational level. The number of Board members shall be odd, with a minimum of nine (nine) people.

Article 5. Criteria for Board Members

1. Possess good moral qualities and thoughts; have sufficient health and time to participate in material appraisal.

2. Have a bachelor's degree or higher, understand the local educational content, have expertise relevant to the materials being appraised; Board members who are teachers must have at least three (three) years of teaching experience at general education institutions.

3. Individuals involved in compiling the materials under appraisal shall not participate in the Board.

Article 6. Duties of the Board

1. Appraise materials based on the criteria stipulated in Article 3 of this Circular.

2. Report the results of material appraisal to the organizing unit.

Article 7. Duties and Authorities of Board Members

1. Duties and authorities of the Chairperson of the Board:

a) Be responsible to the Provincial People's Committee for the activities of the Board, draft and organize the implementation of the work plan of the Board.

b) Assign tasks to the Vice-Chairpersons, Secretaries, and Board members.

c) Resolve within their authority and propose to competent agencies to handle situations arising during the organization of material appraisal.

d) Perform other duties and authorities as prescribed in point a, b, clause 4 of this Article.

2. Duties and authorities of the Vice-Chairperson of the Board:

a) Be responsible for the contents of work assigned by the Chairperson of the Board.

b) Perform other duties and authorities as prescribed in point a, b, d, clause 4 of this Article.

3. Duties and authorities of the Secretary of the Board:

a) Assist the Chairperson of the Board in preparing the content and program of the Board's work.

b) Draft minutes summarizing all opinions of Board members.

c) Perform other duties as prescribed in point a, b, d, clause 4 of this Article.

4. Duties and authorities of Board members:

a) Fully participate in all Board meetings; study and evaluate materials according to the appraisal criteria.

b) Provide opinions and be responsible for comments and evaluations of material appraisal.

c) In case they cannot attend Board meetings, they must report to the Chairperson of the Board and submit written comments and evaluations of the materials to the Chairperson of the Board before the meeting takes place; the written opinions of absent Board members on material appraisal shall be counted in the first round of Board appraisal results.

d) Perform other tasks assigned by the Chairperson of the Board.

Article 8. Principles of Operation of the Board

1. The Board operates on the principles of centralization, democracy, objectivity, and honesty.

2. A Board meeting shall be considered valid when at least three-quarters (three fourths) of the total number of members participate, including the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons, and Secretary of the Board.

3. The results of each Board meeting shall be recorded in minutes, which include all opinions of the members and are made public at the Board. The minutes must bear the signatures of the members attending the Board meeting.

4. During the appraisal process, the Board may request the organizing unit to seek professional advice from relevant agencies, organizations, artisans, skilled workers, and individuals if necessary.

Article 9. Units organizing the assessment of documents

1. The Department of Education and Training is the unit organizing the assessment of documents.

2. The unit organizing the assessment of documents shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant units to assist the provincial People's Committee in organizing the assessment of documents, including the following tasks:

a) Proposing the list of members of the Council.

b) Preparing material conditions and funding in accordance with regulations to serve the activities of the Council.

c) Receiving and transferring documents to each member of the Council; receiving files and reports, proposals, recommendations of the Council.

d) Submitting to the provincial People's Committee for consideration and decision, and proposing to the Ministry of Education and Training for consideration and approval of the documents.

e) Keeping documents, minutes of Council meetings, and related documents in accordance with regulations.

Article 10. Procedures for organizing the assessment of documents

1. Not later than fifteen (15) days before the first meeting of the Council, the unit organizing the assessment shall send the documents to the Council members; Council members read, study, and write comments and evaluate the documents according to the criteria specified in Article 3 of this Circular.

2. Council members assess and classify the documents.

a) Assessing the documents according to the criteria specified in Article 3 of this Circular and classifying them into one of three categories: "Pass", "Pass but needs revision", "Fail".

b) Conducting a general assessment and classifying the documents into one of three categories: "Pass", "Pass but needs revision", "Fail":

- Documents are classified as "Pass" if all criteria specified in Article 3 of this Circular are classified as "Pass".

- Documents are classified as "Pass but needs revision" if all criteria specified in Clause 2, Clause 3, and Clause 4 of Article 3 of this Circular are classified as "Pass" and "Pass but needs revision", with the requirement that the criteria specified in Clause 1 of Article 3 of this Circular must be classified as "Pass".

- Documents are classified as "Fail" in other cases.

3. The Council convenes, discusses, and evaluates the documents according to the criteria specified in Article 3 of this Circular.

a) Documents are classified as "Pass" by the Council if at least 3/4 (three-quarters) of the Council members classify them as "Pass".

b) Documents are classified as "Pass but needs revision" by the Council if at least 3/4 (three-quarters) of the Council members classify them as "Pass" and "Pass but needs revision" or at least 3/4 (three-quarters) of the Council members classify them as "Pass but needs revision".

c) The Council classifies documents as "Fail" in other cases.

4. The Council reports the results of the document assessment to the unit organizing the assessment to submit to the provincial People's Committee for consideration and decision:

a) Organizing revisions and supplements for documents classified as "Pass but needs revision" by the Council and reassessing them in accordance with Clauses 2 and 3 of this Article.

b) Organizing recompilation for documents classified as "Fail" by the Council and reassessing them as in the initial assessment.

c) Sending to the Ministry of Education and Training for consideration and approval for documents classified as "Pass" by the Council.

Chapter III

DOCUMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR APPROVAL OF DOCUMENTS

Article 11. Documents for requesting approval of documents

The documents for requesting the Ministry of Education and Training to approve the documents (hereinafter referred to as the documents), include:

1. The document requesting approval of the documents.

2. Documents classified as "Pass" by the Council.

3. Minutes of the Council in accordance with Clause 3 of Article 8 of this Circular.

4. Explanation about the documents proposed for assessment, including: name of the document; name of the author, chief editor, chief compiler (if the document has a chief editor, chief compiler); purpose of compilation, target audience and scope of use; structure and content; process and results of experimental use; other related information (if any).

Article 12. Procedure for processing files requesting approval of materials

1. The People's Committee of the province shall submit the file requesting approval of materials to the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. The Ministry of Education and Training shall receive the file from the People's Committee of the province; establish an advisory board to assist the Minister of Education and Training in checking the completeness and validity of the file regarding its content and the process of compilation and review in accordance with this Circular.

3. The Minister of Education and Training shall approve the materials in accordance with the regulations.

4. In case the file does not meet the requirements stipulated in this Circular, it shall be returned to the People's Committee of the province within 15 (fifteen) working days from the date the Ministry of Education and Training receives the file.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 13. Responsibilities of the People's Committee at the provincial level

1. Organize the review of materials in accordance with this Circular.

2. Request the Ministry of Education and Training to approve the materials.

3. Direct the local education management agency to guide secondary schools to use the materials in teaching in accordance with the regulations.

4. Ensure the financial resources and material infrastructure for organizing the review of materials.

5. Publicize and disclose information about the compilation and review of materials.

Article 14. Responsibilities of the Department of Education and Training

1. Advise the People's Committee of the province to organize the review of materials; prepare the file requesting the Ministry of Education and Training to consider and approve the materials in accordance with the regulations.

2. Guide secondary schools to use the materials after they have been approved by the Ministry of Education and Training.

3. Summarize comments received during the use of the materials (if any), report to the People's Committee of the province for consideration and resolution.

Chapter V

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 15. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect from November 1, 2020.

Article 16. Responsibility for Organization and Implementation

The Director of the Office, the Head of the Primary Education Department, the Head of the Secondary Education Department, the Heads of relevant units under the Ministry of Education and Training, the Chairmen of the People's Committees of the provinces, the Directors of Departments of Education and Training, and related organizations and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular./.