After Lao Cai, Lai Chau province has officially applied the new study schedule, from Monday to Friday.

In Hanoi, the 5-day study scheme is being applied at most private schools and high-quality secondary schools. Only a few public schools allow students off on Saturday, depending on the schools’ orientation and facility conditions.

In large cities, many parents work at businesses or agencies and go to the office from Monday through Friday. If their children don’t attend school on Saturday and Sunday, they can have more time to relax.

Nguyen Thanh Truc, a parent in Hanoi whose daughter is a student at the Cau Giay Secondary School, said she applauds the 5-day study plan.

“Cau Giay Secondary School always has high cutoff scores when enrolling students. However, my daughter was determined to enroll in the school because she knows that the students don’t have school on Saturday,” she said.

“We are happy with the study schedule. With two days off, my daughter can spend time on her hobbies. She likes painting, traveling and going to our hometown,” she said.

Le Kim Anh, headmaster of Cau Giay Secondary School in Hanoi, said the 5-day study schedule has been applied by the school for 15 years.

“I believe 5-day study brings great benefits. Students can have more free time to refresh or learn what they like. And parents will have one more day a week to spend with their children,” Anh said, adding that most parents agree with the timetable.

Anh believes the 5-day study model can be applied to schools that satisfy the requirements on facilities, and that it won’t affect teaching and learning or violate the Ministry of Education and Training’s (MOET) regulations.

Nguyen Thanh Ha, headmaster of PhanChuTrinh Secondary School, said her school, has Saturday off.

As students have two days off a week, they have time to relax, participate in community’s activities, and improve their mental health. As teachers don’t have to work on Saturday, they have time to relax after a week of hard work, and spend more time taking care of their families.

Currently, there are two shifts a day at the school, including four teaching periods (each period lasts 45 minutes) in the morning and 3-4 periods in the afternoon.

Ha said there was no need to worry about students having to attend private tutoring classes to receive necessary knowledge if they don’t go to school on Saturday

In principle, schools and teachers must strictly observe the curricula set by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), provide enough knowledge, and obtain goals.

However, she stressed that a 5-day study timetable depends on the schools’ facilities.

“I think that facilities must be good enough to implement the 5-day study. If schools don’t have enough classrooms or students have to go to class in rotation, it will not be feasible,” she said.

Headmaster of Thai Thinh Secondary School Nguyen Cao Cuong thinks the 5-day study has many advantages. The school has applied the model after it has upgraded classrooms and material facilities.

Meanwhile, Tran Thi Minh Hai, deputy headmaster of Dich Vong Hau Secondary School, thinks the model is not feasible for public schools in Hanoi, where there is not enough land for schools. That is why her school is open on Saturday.

If MOET wants to apply the model nationwide, it will have to re-set curricula, the number of teaching periods each week and help schools improve infrastructure.

Under the new general education program, the number of teaching periods must be no more than seven periods a day (applied to students having two learning shifts per day) or five periods (applied to students having one learning shift per day).

Hoang Thanh