Circular 01/2020/TT-BGDDT guiding the selection of textbooks

CIRCULAR

Guiding the selection of textbooks in general education institutions^[1]

Pursuant to the June 14, 2005 Education Law and November 25, 2009 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Education Law;

Pursuant to the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 88/2014/QH13 of November 28, 2014, on renovation of general education curricula and textbooks; and the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 51/2017/NQ14 of November 21, 2017, adjusting the roadmap for implementation of new general education curricula and textbooks according to the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 88/2014/QH13 of November 28, 2014, on renovation of general education curricula and textbooks;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 69/2017/ND-CP of May 25, 2017, defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

At the proposal of the Director of the Primary Education Department and the Director of the Secondary Education Department,

The Minister of Education and Training promulgates the Circular guiding the selection of textbooks in general education institutions.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1.Scope of regulation and subjects of application

1. This Circular guides the selection of textbooks in general education institutions.

2. This Circular applies to primary schools, lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools, multi-level general education schools, and education institutions implementing general education programs (below collectively referred to as general education institutions), and related organizations and individuals.

Article 2.Principles of selection of textbooks

1. Textbooks shall be selected from the list of textbooks approved by the Minister of Education and Training for use in general education institutions.

2. For each subject and educational activity in each grade, 1 (one) textbook shall be selected.

3. Selection must be public, transparent and lawful.

Article 3.Textbook selection criteria

1. Conformity with local socio-economic characteristics.

2. Suitability to the conditions for organization of teaching and learning at general education institutions.

Chapter II

ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF TEXTBOOK SELECTION COUNCILS

Article 4.Textbook selection councils

1. A textbook selection council of a general education institution (below referred to as council) shall be set up by the head of the general education institution to help him/her organize the selection of textbooks. Each general education institution shall set up 1 (one) council. For multi-level general education schools, 1 (one) council shall be set up for each level.

2. A council shall be composed of the head, deputy head, specialized group heads, teachers’ representatives for different subjects and educational activities (below collectively referred to as subjects) with textbooks to be selected, and representatives of the representative board of parents of students of the general education institution. The number of council members must be an odd number and at least 11 (eleven), of which at least 2/3 (two-thirds) must be heads of specialized groups and teachers. For a general education institution of under 10 (ten) classes, the number of council members must be at least 7 (seven).

3. Those who have participated in the compilation or appraisal of textbooks organized by publishers, or participated in directing the compilation, publishing, printing and distribution of textbooks, and those working in publishers with textbooks may not join a council.

4. Tasks of a council:

a/ To select textbooks in accordance with this Circular and specify textbook selection criteria issued by the People’s Committee of the province or centrally run city (below referred to as provincial-level People’s Committee);

b/ To propose a list of textbooks for use in the general education institution to the head of the general education institution;

c/ To disband after completing its tasks.

Article 5.Council structure

1. The council president is the head of the general education institution. In case the head of the general education institution may not join the council as prescribed in Clause 3, Article 4 of this Circular and in case he/she is absent for aforce majeurereason, the council president is a deputy head of the general education institution.

2. The vice president of the council is a deputy head of the general education institution or the head of a specialized group.

3. The council secretary is the head of a specialized group.

4. Council members are heads of specialized groups, representatives of teachers of different subjects, and representatives of the representative board of parents of students of the general education institution.

Article 6.Tasks and powers of council members

1. Tasks and powers of the council president:

a/ To be responsible for the council’s activities, prepare a work plan for the council and organize the implementation of such plan;

b/ To organize the implementation of the council’s activities; to assign tasks to the vice president, secretary and members of the council;

c/ To handle according to his/her competence matters arising in the course of selecting textbooks;

d/ To perform other tasks and exercise other powers as prescribed at Points a and b, Clause 4 of this Article;

dd/ To explain the council’s decision on selection of textbooks.

2. Tasks and powers of the vice president of the council:

a/ To be responsible for the work contents assigned by the council president;

b/ To perform other tasks and exercise other powers as prescribed at Points a, b and d, Clause 4 of this Article.

3. Tasks and powers of the council secretary:

a/ To assist the council president in preparing work agenda for the council;

b/ To make working minutes of the council;

c/ To perform other tasks and exercise other powers as prescribed at Points a, b and d, Clause 4 of this Article.

4. Tasks and powers of council members:

a/ To attend meetings of the council; to consult students and parents about the selection of textbooks; to study and evaluate textbooks according to the criteria for selecting textbooks and related materials provided by the council;

b/ To be responsible for comments on the evaluation and selection of textbooks;

c/ In case it is impossible for them to attend the council meeting, to report such to the council president and send written comments on the evaluation and selection of textbooks to the council president before the meeting is held; the absent member’s written comments on the selection of textbooks shall be included in the textbook selection result of the first vote of the council;

d/ To perform other task as assigned by the council president.

Article 7.Working principles of the council

1. The Council shall work on the principles of democratic centralism, objectivity and transparency.

2. A meeting of the council shall be considered valid when it is attended by at least 2/3 (two-thirds) of the council members, including the president, vice president and secretary.

3. The result of each council meeting shall be recorded in a minutes to be signed by the council president, vice president, secretary and members attending the meeting.

Chapter III

ORGANIZATION OF SELECTION OF TEXTBOOKS

Article 8.Textbook selection process

1. Specialized groups shall organize the study, discussion and evaluation of textbooks of the subjects under their respective charge according to the textbook selection criteria. The teachers shall cast secret votes to select a textbook for each subject within the scope of evaluation and selection of the specialized group. The specialized group shall report to the council the list of selected textbooks, arranged in an ascending order of the numbers of votes for the textbooks. The list of selected textbooks shall be signed by the head of the specialized group and teachers in the group.

2. The council shall meet, discuss and evaluate textbooks on the basis of the lists of textbooks proposed by the specialized groups for selection according to the principles prescribed in Article 2 of this Circular and the textbook selection criteria. The council shall cast secret votes to select textbooks. The selected textbook is the one voted for by more than 1/2 (half) of the council members. In case a textbook is not voted for by more than 1/2 (half) of the council members, the council shall discuss and analyze the textbooks according to the textbook selection criteria and vote again. After the second vote, if a textbook is still not voted for by more than 1/2 (half) of the council members, the council shall decide to select the textbook that receives the highest number of votes for on the list of textbooks reported by the specialized group as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article. The council shall sum up the textbook selection results in a  minutes to be signed by the council president, vice president, secretary and members attending the meeting.

3. The council shall propose to the head of the general education institution the list of textbooks selected by the council for use in the institution.

4. On the basis of the council’s proposal, the head of the general education institution shall decide on the list of textbooks to be used in the institution.

Article 9.Announcement of the list of selected textbooks

The head of a general education institution shall announce the list of textbooks used in the general education institution and post it at the institution at least 4 (four) months before the start of the new school year.

Chapter IV

ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

Article 10.Responsibilities of provincial-level People’s Committees

1. Based on the textbook selection criteria specified in Article 3 of this Circular, to specify textbook selection criteria suitable to general education institutions in localities.

2. To direct provincial-level Departments of Education and Training or Departments of Education, Science and Technology (below collectively referred to as provincial-level Departments of Education and Training); and People’s Committees of rural districts, urban districts, towns and provincial cities (below collectively referred to as district-level People’s Committees) to guide, supervise and inspect general education institutions in selecting textbooks in accordance with this Circular.

3. To ensure funding sources according to decentralized management for general education institutions to organize the selection of textbooks.

Article 11.Responsibilities of provincial-level Departments of Education and Training

1. Pursuant to Article 3 of this Circular, to advise their provincial-level People’s Committees on specifying textbook selection criteria suitable to general education institutions in their localities.

2. To direct, guide, supervise and inspect the organization of selection of textbooks by general education institutions under their management.

3. To report to the Ministry of Education and Training and their provincial-level People’s Committees and provide information to publishers with selected textbooks on the list and number of textbooks that each publisher needs to supply, including the reserve number, to ensure sufficient textbooks before the start of each new school year.

Article 12.Responsibilities of district-level People’s Committees

1. To direct their district-level Divisions of Education and Training to guide, supervise and inspect the selection of textbooks by general education institutions under their management.

2. To ensure funding sources for general education institutions under their management to organize the selection of textbooks.

Article 13.Responsibilities of district-level Divisions of Education and Training

1. To direct, guide, supervise and inspect the organization of selection of textbooks by general education institutions under their management.

2. To summarize and report to their district-level People’s Committees and provincial-level Departments of Education and Training the results of selection of textbooks by general education institutions under their management.

Article 14.Responsibilities of general education institutions

1. To organize the selection of textbooks according to the provisions of this Circular and the regulations of provincial-level People’s Committees on the selection of textbooks; to report to provincial-level Departments of Education and Training (for upper secondary schools) or district-level Divisions of Education and Training (for primary schools and lower secondary schools) on the textbook selection results.

2. To use selected textbooks in teaching and learning activities; to guide teachers, students and parents to use textbooks in accordance with law.

3. To be responsible to education administration agencies, students and parents for their decisions on selection of textbooks.

Chapter V

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 15.Effect

This Circular takes effect on March 15, 2020.

Article 16.Implementation responsibility

The Chief of the Office, Director of the Primary Education Department, Director of the Secondary Education Department and heads of related units under the Ministry of Education and Training; chairpersons of People’s Committees at all levels, directors of provincial-level Departments of Education and Training, heads of district-level Divisions of Education and Training, heads of general education institutions, and related organizations and individuals shall implement this Circular.-

For the Minister of Education and Training
Deputy Minister
NGUYEN HUU DO