Many parents worry as final-year students can no longer attend supplementary classes like before. Photo: Pham Trong Tung

Despite a combined monthly income of just over $800, Quy is willing to pay $16-$20 per one-on-one math tutoring session for her ninth-grade son as he prepares for Vietnam’s high school entrance exams.

With tutoring classes at school and teachers’ homes halted, many parents are scrambling for alternatives.

Struggles as schools limit extra classes

According to Circular 29 of the Ministry of Education and Training, which took effect on February 14, schools can offer free supplementary lessons to three groups of students: those who have not met academic standards, those selected for gifted student training, and final-year students voluntarily preparing for exams.

However, due to various factors, many schools have yet to implement tutoring sessions for final-year students, and those that have can only offer up to two periods per subject per week.

Meanwhile, public school teachers are prohibited from organizing private tutoring sessions or charging fees to teach students from their regular classes.

"Like sitting on a pile of fire"

As schools and teachers discontinue tutoring, many parents of final-year students are worried, with major exams only months away. Even those with modest incomes are willing to pay significantly higher fees for private tutoring.

Quy, who lives in a suburban district 20 km from central Hanoi, has been anxiously searching for a tutor for her ninth-grade son. With his average academic performance, the family hopes he can pass the entrance exam for a local high school.

"My husband and I have stable but modest incomes, so we can't afford a private school, nor do we want our son to drop out and enter vocational training early. But without tutoring, it will be tough for him to pass," she said.

Previously, her son attended extra classes at school and private lessons with his homeroom teachers. Now, those classes have stopped.

After extensive searching, she decided to hire an experienced tutor specializing in high school entrance exams. However, since her son struggles academically and lacks self-discipline, the tutor refused to teach online and would only offer in-person sessions. This posed a logistical challenge due to the 20 km distance and the tutor’s already packed schedule. "I'm willing to pay $16 per session, but I still have to wait for the tutor to find an available time," she said.

Similarly, Trung, a father in Thanh Hoa, had to resort to online tutoring for his child, as local exam prep centers were scarce. After searching online, he enrolled his child in an exam prep program in Hanoi that included eight foundational sessions and 15 exam practice sessions. The total cost was over $240, with each session priced at $11.

"This is a huge expense for our family, but we see it as an investment. If our child fails, it will be even more difficult," Trung admitted.

Many parents in rural areas share the same concern, fearing that the lack of supplementary classes will widen the educational gap between urban and rural students. This situation is especially challenging for students who are not used to independent study.

In Nam Dinh, Thanh Nga, a parent of a 12th grader, said, "The high school graduation exam is approaching, and since my child is home in the afternoons, I feel extremely anxious. Even at work, I keep calling to check if she’s studying."

Her family is searching for private centers, online courses, or personal tutors, despite the higher costs. However, they have yet to find a suitable option.

The downside of tutoring dependency

Quoc, a private tutor with over 20 years of experience in Hanoi, shared that he has received a surge of requests for one-on-one tutoring, mostly from parents of ninth and twelfth graders. Many parents are even willing to cover travel expenses for distant tutors, but he has no available slots.

Pham Anh, a freelance educator who recently opened a tutoring center in Bac Ninh, also noted a growing demand for both online and in-person tutoring. However, he observed that many students who had attended frequent extra classes still had significant gaps in their knowledge.

"This is partly because students lack the habit of self-study and knowledge organization. But a bigger issue lies with parents and teachers, who have fostered a dependency on quick-fix tutoring sessions focused on solving exam questions rather than truly understanding concepts," Pham Anh said.

For students with weak foundations, he advises reviewing textbook exercises before jumping into exam drills. However, many students and parents reject this approach, preferring to dive straight into test-taking strategies to maximize scores. "I usually turn down such requests. We can’t just address surface-level problems when the foundation is weak," he explained.

Tung, a parent from Hai Phong with two children who have gone through high school entrance and graduation exams, believes the widespread tutoring culture has ingrained a sense of fear among parents, students, and teachers.

"If we truly want our kids to succeed, we need to shift our mindset and encourage self-study rather than relying on tutoring," he said. "Luckily, I’ve had my children study independently with textbooks, complete assignments, and use reference materials. Now, during the final exam period, my daughter can review on her own, and we’re not stressed."

A shift in education policy

Nam Dinh’s Deputy Director of Education and Training, Bui Van Khiet, emphasized that Circular 29 aims to reduce the pressure of extra classes, ensure educational equity, and promote self-learning habits among students.

The department has instructed schools to clearly communicate the circular’s content to parents and students and to properly implement final-year exam preparation sessions within the permitted scope.

"In addition to in-person lessons, students can now use online learning platforms for self-study with better supervision. Many students have become so accustomed to teacher-led study sessions that they’ve lost the ability to learn independently. Now is the time to change that habit and encourage self-study to save costs and time," Khiet said.

He acknowledged that transitioning from structured tutoring to self-study is a gradual process requiring time for students to adjust.

Hoang Linh - Trong Tung