VietNamNet Bridge - The number of pupils per class is prescribed clearly in the regulations for pre-schools and primary schools. However, it seems to be quite difficult for schools to obey those regulations.

Lacking classrooms, schools break the rules

Under the regulations for pre-schools promulgated by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), there must not be more than 35 students in every class which must be taken care by two teachers. One more teacher is required for every 10 additional students.

The regulations also stipulate that the area for every student must be at least 1.5 square meters. However, the number of students in nursery classes in big cities always exceeds the limit. There are even classes that have 65 – 70 students.

There are six wards in Hanoi which still do not have state owned nursery schools, and four of which are located in Dong Da District. Therefore, the overloading can be seen in most of the state owned schools here. Some parents complained that there are classes in Kim Lien state owned pre-schools that have 70 students. The average number of students of a class at Hoa My or Tuoi Tho Pre-school (Ba Dinh District) is more than 50.

“The scale of schools and classes keeps unchanged, while there are more and more students, which has led to the overloading”, said Luu Tuong Van, Deputy Manager of Department of Education and Training of Ba Dinh District.

According to Bui Thi Van Anh, Head of Department of Education and Training of Cau Giay District, the average number of students in every class in state owned schools in the district is about 60.

If referring to the current regulations, the classes with 60 students need to have six teachers. However, the schools only have three teachers for a class.

The overloading classes force teachers to work hard and get stressful and strenuous. “The class has too many students, so we are always worried sick about accidents which may happen to the kids, especially at lunch time or break time”, said a teacher of Dong Da Pre-school.

Lacking…air to breathe

The standard number of students of every class in primary schools is also 35, according to the regulations for primary schools. However, there are so many classes whose number of students double the ceiling level allowed by MOET.

In many schools which are thought to have the best quality in Hanoi, such as Kim Lien, Trung Tu, Cat Linh, Nam Thanh Cong, Kim Dong, Hoang Dieu, Quang Trung, Thang Long…, each class has more than 50 students. There are even classes that have 60 students.

The size of a class is only enough for 35 students, so in these “double” classes’ desks are arranged very closely to each other and to the podium in order to use up the space. Three students have to share a desk which was designed for only two.

“My son has lost two kilograms after he finished first grade, mostly because of the overcrowded classroom. I have the feeling that the classroom was so cramped that the poor kids didn’t even have enough air to breathe”, said a mother whose son is a student of Kim Lien Primary School.

The fact that there are too many students in a class makes it hard for teachers to do their work while the efficiency is very low. Every student is taught with the same teaching method, despite their different learning capacities.

Obviously, this situation must be eliminated as soon as possible. “The existence of the classes that have the numbers of students exceeding the limits should be seen an action that violates the children’s rights. The kids deserve to enjoy a better care and learning environment”, said Dang Huynh Mai, Vice President of Vietnam Association for Protection of Children’s Rights.

Source: Tien phong