Circular No. 51/2020/TT-BGDĐT amending and supplementing certain contents of the Early Childhood Education Program issued together with Circular No. 17/2009/TT-BGDĐT dated July 25, 2009 of the Minister of Education and Training, which has been amended and supplemented by Circular No. 28/2016/TT-BGDĐT dated December 30, 2016 of the Minister of Education and Training.

CIRCULAR

Amending and Supplementing Certain Contents of the Early Childhood Education Program VIOLATION

attached to Circular No. 17/2009/TT-BGDĐT dated July 25, 2009

of the Minister of Education and Training, which has been amended and supplemented

by Circular No. 28/2016/TT-BGDĐT dated December 30, 2016

of the Minister of Education and Training

On the basis of Law on Education 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;

Based on the proposal of the Director of the Department of Preschool Education;

The Minister of Education and Training issues this Circular amending and supplementing certain contents of the Early Childhood Education Program issued together with Circular No. 17/2009/TT-BGDĐT dated July 25, 2009 of the Minister of Education and Training, which has been amended and supplemented by Circular No. 28/2016/TT-BGDĐT dated December 30, 2016 of the Minister of Education and Training.

Article 1. Amending and supplementing certain contents of the Early Childhood Education Program issued together with Circular No. 17/2009/TT-BGDĐT dated July 25, 2009 of the Minister of Education and Training, which has been amended and supplemented by Circular No. 28/2016/TT-BGDĐT dated December 30, 2016 of the Minister of Education and Training

1. Part One is amended and supplemented as follows:

"Part One

GENERAL ISSUES

A. OBJECTIVES OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

The objectives of early childhood education are to help children develop physically, emotionally, intellectually, aesthetically, form the initial elements of personality, prepare children for primary school; foster and develop psychological functions, capabilities, and foundational qualities, necessary life skills appropriate to their age, awaken and maximize latent abilities, lay the foundation for further learning at subsequent educational levels and lifelong learning. B. VIEWPOINTS ON BUILDING THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM

1. The Early Childhood Education Program is a framework program, open in nature, reflecting the objectives of early childhood education, specifying requirements regarding the content, methods of early childhood education, and assessment of children's development, serving as a basis for management, guidance, and organization of nurturing, care, and education of children in all early childhood education facilities throughout the country; simultaneously, it is a commitment of the State to ensure quality for the entire system and each individual early childhood education facility.

The Early Childhood Education Program is built based on the viewpoints of the Party and the State on fundamental and comprehensive educational reform, inheriting the strengths of previous childcare and education programs, developed from the perspective of ensuring responsiveness to the diversity of regions, children, aiming at comprehensive development and providing opportunities for children to develop.

2. The Early Childhood Education Program ensures close connections between different ages of preschool and kindergarten, linking with the General Education Program. The program reflects the viewpoint of comprehensive education, integration, child-centeredness with the educational principle of "learning through play, playing to learn."

3. The program specifies educational content applicable to all preschool children, while granting localities, preschool education facilities, and teachers the autonomy to choose and supplement some educational content and implement educational plans suitable for preschool children and the conditions of their locality and preschool education facility.

C. REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTENT, METHODS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND ASSESSMENT OF CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT

I. REQUIREMENTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CONTENT

1. Ensuring scientificity, appropriateness, and the principle of concentric development from easy to difficult; ensuring continuity between different ages, between preschool and kindergarten, and primary school; unifying educational content with real-life situations, connecting with children's lives and experiences, preparing children to gradually integrate into society.

2. Suitable for the psychological and physiological development of children, harmonizing nurturing, care, and education; helping children develop a balanced, healthy, agile body; providing age-appropriate life skills; teaching children to respect, love, and be polite to grandparents, parents, teachers, and friends; loving siblings and peers; being honest, bold, confident, and innocent, loving beauty; enjoying learning and going to school.

II. REQUIREMENTS FOR METHODS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

1. For preschool education, educational methods must focus on regular communication, expressing love and creating attachment between adults and children; paying attention to individual characteristics of children to select appropriate educational methods, giving children a sense of physical and mental safety; creating favorable conditions for children to actively engage in emotional exchanges, activities with objects, and play, stimulating the development of senses and psychological functions; creating an educational environment close to family settings, helping children adapt to preschool.

2. For kindergarten education, educational methods must provide children with opportunities to experience, explore, and discover their surroundings in various forms, meeting children's needs and interests according to the principle of "learning through play, playing to learn." Emphasizing innovation in organizing the educational environment to stimulate and create opportunities for children to actively explore, experiment, and innovate in activity areas happily. Balancing group and individual education, paying attention to the unique characteristics of each child to have appropriate educational methods. Organizing reasonable forms of individual, small group, and whole-class activities, suitable for the age of the class, the ability of each child, the needs and interests of the children, and practical conditions.

III. REQUIREMENTS FOR ASSESSMENT OF CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT

Assessment of children's development (including daily assessment and stage-based assessment) aims to monitor children's development, serving as a basis for building and adjusting educational plans. In assessment, multiple methods and forms of evaluation must be combined; emphasizing the progress of each child, regularly assessing children through observation of daily activities.

D. CONDITIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM

I. ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FACILITIES

I. ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

1. Early childhood education institutions have the mission to form and develop the comprehensive personality of early childhood children; they are granted autonomy according to the provisions of the law.

2. The organizational structure and operation of early childhood education institutions shall be in accordance with the Kindergarten Regulations issued by the Minister of Education and Training and the relevant current laws.

II. MANAGEMENT STAFF, TEACHERS, AND STAFF

1. The number and composition of management staff, teachers, and staff must meet the minimum requirements as prescribed.

2. Management staff and teachers must have a level of training that meets the standard or higher; teachers must be classified as Achieved or higher according to the Early Childhood Teacher Professional Standard; management staff must be classified as Achieved or higher according to the Early Childhood Education Institution Principal Standard; management staff and teachers must be trained in specialized knowledge and skills related to their duties to meet the requirements for developing the school's educational program.

3. Staff must have the required professional qualifications and be trained in specialized knowledge and skills related to their duties based on their positions within the early childhood education institution.

III. PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, TOYS, LEARNING AIDS, AND EDUCATIONAL EQUIPMENT

The location, area, scale of the early childhood education institution; physical infrastructure, toys, learning aids, and educational equipment must comply with the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training, relevant regulations, and meet the requirements for developing the school's educational program.

IV. SOCIALIZATION OF EDUCATION

1. To thoroughly implement the viewpoint that education development is the cause of the Party, the State, and the entire people, the Party Committee and local authorities have the responsibility to lead and direct the effective implementation of the Early Childhood Education Program; to ensure the conditions for implementing the program; to strictly enforce the policies of the Party and the State towards management staff, teachers, and staff in early childhood education institutions. Schools should proactively advise the Party Committee and local authorities and cooperate with individuals and organizations in the locality to mobilize diverse resources to participate in educational activities and support school funding, infrastructure, and build a safe, healthy, and friendly educational environment.

2. Families and communities are guided and have the responsibility to coordinate with early childhood education institutions to ensure conditions for implementing the daily routine for children and working hours for teachers, thereby improving the quality of the Early Childhood Education Program.

2. Subsection I of Section B of Part Two is amended and supplemented as follows:

"I. TIME DISTRIBUTION

The program is designed for 35 weeks, with five working days per week, applicable in all early childhood education institutions. Daily care and education plans are implemented according to the living routines suitable for each age group, in line with children's development and the conditions of the early childhood education institution.

Summer vacation, holiday breaks, and semester breaks are conducted according to the general regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training."

3. Subsection I of Section B of Part Three is amended and supplemented as follows:

"I. TIME DISTRIBUTION

The program is designed for 35 weeks, with five working days per week, applicable in all early childhood education institutions. Daily care and education plans are implemented according to the living routines suitable for each age group, in line with children's development and the conditions of the early childhood education institution.

Summer vacation, holiday breaks, and semester breaks are conducted according to the general regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training."

4. Clause 1 of Part Four is amended and supplemented as follows:

"1. Based on the Early Childhood Education Program issued by the Ministry of Education and Training, departments of education and training, and district education and training offices shall guide early childhood education institutions to develop academic year plans, organize implementation, and develop the Early Childhood Education Program.

In addition to the contents stipulated in Section C of Part Two of the Kindergarten Education Program and Section C of Part Three of the Preschool Education Program, early childhood education institutions may choose and supplement certain educational contents such as introducing children to foreign languages, digital technology, and other appropriate educational contents in line with the objectives of the Early Childhood Education Program, ensuring scientific, practical, and effective implementation, suitability with local culture, conditions of the early childhood education institution, children's abilities, and needs, in accordance with the law to enhance the quality of nurturing, caring for, and educating children. The organization and implementation of supplementary educational contents shall be carried out in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training."

Article 2. Responsibilities for Implementation

Chairmen of People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities, Chairmen of People's Committees at the district level, Directors of Departments of Education and Training, Heads of District Education and Training Offices, relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals are responsible for enforcing this Circular.

Article 3. Effectiveness

This Circular takes effect from March 31, 2021./.