To ensure that the quality of teaching and learning is not affected, localities and educational institutions have proactively applied flexible solutions, focusing on organizing free supplementary classes to support weaker students and improve educational outcomes.

In the 2024-2025 school year, Bế Văn Đàn Primary School (Điện Biên Phủ province) has 27 classes with 968 students. To improve teaching and learning quality while implementing Circular 29, the school has proactively organized free knowledge-enhancement sessions at the end of regular school hours for students who need assistance. According to Đinh Thị Thanh Nhàn, the school’s Principal, the review sessions are not conducted on a large scale but are targeted at classes where students have not met the required knowledge level. This approach helps students consolidate their knowledge in a timely manner, ensures equal access to education, and reflects the school’s flexibility and creativity in implementing new regulations while continually improving education quality.

In strict adherence to Circular No.29, Tân Bình Secondary School (Điện Biên Phủ city) has flexibly organized free knowledge-enhancement sessions, especially for students with average or weak academic performance. With two regular afternoon classes per week, the remaining afternoons are effectively used for organizing supplementary classes based on requests from students and their parents. Teachers are assigned according to their expertise to ensure professional teaching and reasonable workloads. For ninth-grade students, who are preparing for high school entrance exams, the school increases review sessions and provides advanced lessons for talented students to participate in academic competitions. Although no paid extra classes are organized, the school’s teachers still actively support and teach for free, ensuring quality learning and helping to narrow the academic gap between different groups of students, thus improving teaching effectiveness in line with current education reforms.

Phạm Thị Hạnh, Principal of Tân Bình Secondary School (Điện Biên Phủ city), emphasized: “This school year, we have 24 classes with over 930 students. While we do not organize paid extra classes, we encourage and motivate teachers to review and enhance knowledge for students. Even without paid extra classes, teachers are still actively supporting and teaching for free to ensure quality education. This contributes to narrowing the academic gap between different groups of students and improving teaching effectiveness under the new education reforms.”

After Circular No.29 officially took effect, on December 30, 2024, the Department of Education and Training of Điện Biên province quickly implemented several measures to strictly comply with the regulations on managing extra classes. Based on instructions from the provincial People’s Committee in documents such as Official Dispatch No.47/UBND-KGVX dated January 6, 2025, and Official Dispatch No.471/UBND-KGVX dated February 7, 2025, the Department of Education and Training issued specific instructions to all Departments of Education and Training, affiliated units, and vocational education centers across the province.

As a result, educational institutions have been instructed to widely disseminate the new regulations, including Circular No.29 and directives from the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Education and Training, and the provincial People’s Committee to all school administrators, teachers, students, and parents. Notably, although paid extra classes are strictly prohibited, the department encourages schools to organize free supplementary and review classes for students in need, especially those with weak academic performance and those in their final year. These sessions are organized on a voluntary basis, with no fees charged to students or parents, thus contributing to improving education quality in a practical and equitable manner.

Cù Huy Hoàn, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Education and Training, said: “Tightening the management of extra classes is necessary to address the issue of widespread extra teaching, which places unnecessary financial and academic pressure on students. However, the department also recognizes the responsibility of educational institutions to continue supporting students who need review through free classes, ensuring that all students can improve their academic skills.”

Educational institutions are required to strengthen internal checks, cooperate with local authorities to closely monitor extra-curricular teaching activities, and ensure that no violations of regulations occur. The Department has set up a hotline to receive public complaints about illegal extra classes and requires all agencies and units to display information in public places to enhance transparency and community monitoring.

The supervision of centers and facilities related to extra classes has also been strengthened. As of March 2025, the province has 100 registered organizations and individuals operating in the extra class industry, with a total of 109 licensed locations. Thanks to these comprehensive measures, the education sector of Điện Biên aims to create a healthy and quality school environment, ensuring the legitimate rights of all students to access education.