The initiative—which follows consultations with municipal departments, education experts, and stakeholders—was announced by Ho Tan Minh, chief of office at the HCMC Department of Education and Training.

Minh highlighted the significant time commitment students already face, with school days typically lasting from morning until 4-5 p.m., compounded by traffic congestion that lengthens their commutes. He stressed the importance of a balanced approach to additional classes for students’ well-being.

“If students are to attend extra classes, it should be in moderation to safeguard their health,” Minh stated. “Ending classes before 8 p.m. is a reasonable step, ensuring students have more time with their families.”

The proposal will be presented to the HCMC People’s Committee for official approval.

The department is also collecting feedback on various conditions for supplementary classes, including infrastructure, fire safety, and public order. Currently, the city has around 10,000 tutoring centers, with 1,300 operated by public school teachers outside school hours.

The immense pressure to excel academically, driven by challenging exams, is a major factor contributing to the demand for extra lessons. Many parents worry that without private tutoring, their children will fall behind or be unfairly treated, especially when schoolteachers sometimes pressure students to attend private lessons, exacerbating financial strain for less affluent families.

In recent years, the HCMC Department of Education and Training has taken steps to regulate the city’s expanding private tutoring industry by implementing several measures, including a ban on private tutoring for primary school students and a directive for school principals to ensure comprehensive instruction during regular school hours.

In 2023, the Ministry of Education and Training issued a circular outlining new rules for extra classes, effective from February of this year. The circular stipulates that supplementary classes can only be offered if students voluntarily choose to attend and have obtained parental approval. It further specifies that only students facing academic challenges, those chosen for gifted student competitions, and senior students preparing for entrance exams are eligible for additional lessons.

The circular also prohibits schools from charging fees for these supplementary classes.