Circular 20/2018/TT-BGDDT promulgating the regulation on standardized professionalism for teachers of general education institutions

CIRCULAR

PROMULGATING THE REGULATION ON
STANDARDIZED PROFESSIONALISM FOR TEACHERS
OF GENERAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

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

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 75/2006/ND-CP dated August 02, 2006, detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Education Law; the Government’s Decree No. 31/2011/ND-CP dated May 11, 2011, amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Government’s Decree No. 75/2006/ND-CP of August 2, 2006, detailing and guiding a number of articles of the Education Law; the Government’s Decree No. 07/2013/ND-CP dated January 9, 2013, amending Point b, Clause 13, Article 1 of the Government’s Decree No. 31/2011/ND-CP dated May 11, 2011, amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Government’s Decree No. 75/2006/ND-CP of August 2, 2006, detailing and guiding a number of articles of the Education Law;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Managers;

The Minister of Education and Training hereby issues the Circular promulgating the regulation on standardized professionalism for teachers of general education institutions.

Article 1. The Regulation on standardized professionalism for teachers of general education institutions are promulgated together with this Circular.

Article 2. This Circular takes effect from October 10, 2018.

This Circular replaces Decision No. 14/2007/QD-BGDDT dated May 4, 2007 of the Minister of Education and Training, promulgating the regulation on standardized professionalism for teachers at primary schools, and Circular No. 30/2009/TT-BDDT dated October 22, 2009 of the Minister of Education and Training, promulgating the regulation on standardized professionalism for teachers at lower and upper secondary schools.

Article 3. Chief of Ministry Office, Director of the Department of Teachers and Education Managers, heads of relevant agencies under the Ministry of Education and Training, directors of provincial-level education and training departments, heads of concerned units and relevant individuals shall be responsible for the implementation of this Circular.

REGULATION

ON STANDARDIZED PROFESSIONALISM FOR TEACHERS
OF GENERAL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
(Issued together with the Circular No. 20/2018/TT-BGDDT dated August 22, 2018 of the Minister of Education and Training)

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of regulation and subjects of application

1. The Regulation on standardized professionalism for teachers of general education institutions covers the standardized professionalism for teachers of general education institutions (hereinafter referred to as the standardized teacher professionalism) and the instructions to apply the standardized teacher professionalism.

2. This Regulation applies to teachers at elementary schools, lower and upper secondary schools, multi-level high schools, high schools for gifted students, boarding and semi-boarding schools for students of ethnic minorities (hereinafter referred to as general education institutions) as well as relevant organizations and individuals.

Article 2. Purpose of promulgating the Regulation on standardized teacher professionalism

1. To serve as a basis for teachers of general education institutions to self-assess their qualities and competence; to formulate and implement plans on quality training and professional competence improvement for teachers to meet the requirements of educational innovation.

2. To serve as a basis for general education institutions to evaluate the qualities, professional competence, and professional qualifications of teachers; to develop and implement plans to foster and develop teachers’ professional competence to meet the educational goals of the educational institutions, the respective localities, and the education sector.

3. To serve as a basis for State management agencies to scrutinize, develop and implement regimes and policies on development of the teaching staff of general education institutions; to select and employ key teachers in general education institutions.

4. To serve as a basis for teacher training and refresher institutions to formulate and develop programs, organize training courses and refreshers to develop the qualities, professional competence, and professionalism of teachers in general education institutions.

Article 3. Interpretation of terms

In this Regulation, the terms below are construed as follows:

1. Qualities include a teacher’s thoughts, morals, and style in performing his/her job and tasks.

2. Competence means a teacher’s ability to perform his/her job and tasks.

3. Standardized professionalism for teachers of general education institutions means a system of qualities and competence levels that teachers should attain in order to perform their tasks of teaching and educating students in general education institutions.

4. Standards mean requirements on the qualities and competence levels for the standardized teacher professionalism in each field.

5. Criteria mean sub-requirements on the qualities and competence levels for a standard.

6. Level of a criterion means the level of attaining the qualities and competence required by each criterion. There are three levels for each criterion in ascending order: Qualified, Good, Excellent. The higher level already includes the requirements of the adjacent lower level.

a) Qualified: Having the qualities and ability to perform the assigned tasks of teaching and educating students in accordance with the law provisions;

b) Good: Having the qualities and ability to self-study and self-train, proactively innovate the performance of their assigned tasks;

c) Excellent: Having a positive influence on students, colleagues, parents or guardians of students while realizing the educational goals of the general education institution and contributing to the education development of the locality.

7. Proofs mean the evidence (documents, archives, objects, events, witnesses) that may objectively confirm the attainment level of a criterion.

8. Assessment based on standardized teacher professionalism means the determination of a teacher’s attainment level of qualities and abilities required by the standardized teacher professionalism.

9. Key teachers of a general education institution mean general education teachers who have good morals; understand the educational situation; have good professional competence; are reputable across the institution; capable of advising, consulting, supporting, leading colleagues, and sharing experience with them in professional activities and in professional competence development.

10. Digital learning materials mean documents, data, information resources digitized and stored in service of teaching and learning.

Chapter II

STANDARDIZED TEACHER PROFESSIONALISM

Article 4. Standard 1. Qualities of a teacher

Complying with law provisions and practice teacher ethics; sharing experiences with colleagues and supporting them to improve teacher ethics and form the style of a teacher.

1. Criterion 1. Teacher ethics

a) Qualified: Strictly complying with the law provisions on teacher ethics;

b) Good: Having the spirit of self-study, self-training and striving to improve teacher ethics;

c) Excellent: Being an exemplary model of teacher ethics; sharing experiences with and supporting colleagues to improve their teacher ethics.

2. Criterion 2. Teacher’s style

a) Qualified: Having the working style and methods suitable to the job of a teacher in a general education institution;

b) Good: Having a sense of self-training to form the style of an exemplary teacher; having good influence on students;

c) Excellent: Being an exemplary teacher; having good influence on and supporting colleagues to form their styles.

Article 5. Standard 2. Development of expertise and professional proficiency

Mastering expertise and professional operations; regularly updating professional operations and improving professional competence to meet the requirements for educational innovation.

1. Criterion 3. Development of personal expertise

a) Qualified: Obtaining qualifications and fully completing training courses, refreshers on professional knowledge as prescribed; having a plan to regularly study and improve one’s own expertise;

b) Good: Actively researching and promptly updating requirements for innovation in professional knowledge; applying creatively and appropriately forms and methods and selecting contents to study and improve one’s own professional competence;

c) Excellent: Guiding, supporting colleagues and sharing experiences with them on personal development to meet requirements for educational innovation.

2. Criterion 4. Formulation of teaching and educational plans towards developing students’ qualities and abilities

a) Qualified: Being able to formulate teaching and educational plans;

b) Good: Actively adjusting teaching and educational plans to suit the actual conditions of the educational institution and the respective locality;

c) Excellent: Guiding and supporting colleagues in formulating teaching and educational plans.

3. Criterion 5. Use of teaching and educational methods towards developing students’ qualities and abilities

a) Qualified: Be able to apply teaching and educational methods to developing students’ qualities and abilities;

b) Good: Actively updating, flexibly and effectively applying teaching and educational methods to meet the requirements for innovation and in accordance with actual conditions;

c) Excellent: Guiding and supporting colleagues in terms of knowledge, skills, and experiences in applying teaching and educational methods to developing students’ qualities and competence.

4. Criterion 6. Testing and evaluation of students towards developing their qualities and abilities

a) Qualified: Being able to employ testing methods to assess student learning outcomes and progress;

b) Good: Actively updating and creatively applying forms, methods, and assessment tools towards developing students’ qualities and abilities;

c) Excellent: Guiding and supporting colleagues in terms of experiences to effectively assess students’ learning outcomes and progress.

5. Criterion 7. Student counseling and support

a) Qualified: Understanding various groups of students and mastering regulations on student counseling and support; combining student counseling and support with teaching and educational activities;

b) Good: Effectively taking counseling and support measures appropriate to each student in teaching and educational activities;

c) Excellent: Guiding and supporting colleagues in terms of experiences to effectively combine student counseling and student support with teaching and educational activities.

Article 6. Standard 3. Building of an educational environment

Building a safe, healthy and democratic educational environment, preventing and combating school violence

1. Criterion 8. Building school culture

a) Qualified: Fully complying with the school’s intramural rules and etiquette;

b) Good: Proposing measures to effectively implement the school’s intramural rules and etiquette; having solutions to promptly and effectively handle violations against the intramural rules and etiquette in the classrooms and school within the scope of their management (if any);

c) Excellent: Being an exemplary role model, sharing experiences in building a healthy culture in the school.

2. Criterion 9. Exercising democratic rights in schools

a) Qualified: Fully complying with law provisions on democratic rights in schools, guiding students to exercise democratic rights in schools;

b) Good: Proposing measures to promote the democratic rights of students, teachers themselves, students’ parents or guardians, and colleagues in the school; detecting, reporting, preventing and promptly handling violations of the law provisions on students’ democratic rights (if any);

c) Excellent: Guiding and supporting colleagues in exercising and promoting democratic rights of students, themselves, students’ parents or guardians, and colleagues.

3. Criterion 10. Building of safe schools, prevention of school violence

a) Qualified: Fully complying with the schools’ regulations on safe schools and prevention of school violence;

b) Good: Proposing measures to build safe schools and prevent school violence; detecting, reporting, preventing and promptly handling violations of regulations on building of safe schools and prevention of school violence (if any);

c) Excellent: Being a typical example of building safe schools and preventing school violence; sharing experiences in building safe schools and preventing school violence.

Article 7. Standard 4. Development of relationships with schools, families, and the society

Participating in and organizing activities to develop the relationships with schools, families, and the society in carrying out teaching activities, improving morals and building good lifestyles for students

1. Criterion 11. Development of collaborative relationships with parents or guardians of students and related parties

a) Qualified: Fully complying with applicable regulations regarding parents or guardians of students and related parties;

b) Good: Developing healthy, trustworthy relationships parents or guardians of students and related parties;

c) Excellent: Proposing the school solutions to strengthen the close collaborative relationships with parents or guardians of students and related parties.

2. Criterion 12. Coordination with schools, families, and the society to carry out teaching activities for students

a) Qualified: Timely providing adequate information on the learning and training situation of students in class; information about curriculum, course plans, and educational activities for parents or guardians of students and other related parties; receiving information from parents or guardians of students and other related parties about the students’ learning and training situation;

b) Good: Actively coordinating with colleagues, parents or guardians of students and related parties in implementing measures to guide, support and motivate students to study and implement curriculum, course plans, and educational activities;

c) Excellent: Timely responding to feedback from parents or guardians of students and related parties about the students’ learning and training process as well as implementation of curriculum, course plans, and educational activities.

3. Criterion 13. Coordination with schools, families, and the society to improve morals and build good lifestyles for students

a) Qualified: Organizing and providing information about the school’s rules and etiquette to parents or guardians of students and related parties; receiving information from parents or guardians of students and related parties about the students’ morals and lifestyle;

b) Good: Actively cooperating with colleagues, parents or guardians of students and other related parties in carrying out moral and lifestyle education for students;

c) Excellent: Timely responding to feedback from parents or guardians of students and related parties about the moral and lifestyle education for students.

Article 8. Standard 5. Use of foreign languages or ethnic languages, application of information technology, employment of technological equipment in teaching and education

Being able to use foreign languages or ethnic languages, apply information technology, employ technological devices in teaching and education.

1. Criterion 14. Use of foreign language or ethnic language

a) Qualified: Being able to use simple communication words in a foreign language (English is preferred) or a second foreign language (for foreign language teachers) or an ethnic language for job positions requiring the use of ethnic languages;

b) Good: Being able to exchange information on simple, familiar everyday topics, or simple, familiar topics related to teaching and educational activities (English is preferred) or knowing a second foreign language (for foreign language teachers) or an ethnic language for job positions requiring the use of ethnic languages;

c) Excellent: Being able to write and present simple passages on familiar topics related to teaching and educational activities (English is preferred) in a foreign language or a second foreign language (for foreign language teachers) or an ethnic language for job positions requiring the use of ethnic languages.

2. Criterion 15. Application of information technology, employment of technological equipment in teaching and education

a) Qualified: Being able to use basic application software, technological equipment in teaching, education, and student management as prescribed; completing training courses, refreshers on application of information technology and employment of technological equipment in teaching and education as prescribed;

b) Good: Applying information technology and using digital learning materials in teaching and educational activities; updating and effectively using the software; employing technological equipment in teaching and educational activities;

c) Excellent: Guiding and supporting colleagues to improve their competence for information technology application; technological equipment employment in teaching and educational activities;

Chapter III

INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLY THE STANDARDIZED
TEACHER PROFESSIONALISM

Article 9. Requirements for the assessment based on the standardized teacher professionalism

1. Being conducted in an objective, comprehensive, fair and democratic manner.

2. Based on the qualities, competence and working history of the teachers in the specific conditions of the school and the respective locality.

3. Based on the attainment level of each criterion mentioned in Chapter II of this Regulation and authentic, appropriate proofs.

Article 10. Processes of assessing and classifying teachers based on the standardized teacher professionalism

1. Assessment process

a) A teacher shall assess his/herself based on the standardized teacher professionalism;

b) The general education institution shall collect opinions from colleagues in the professional team of the teacher who is assessed based on standardized teacher professionalism;

c) The head of the general education institution shall assess and announce the teacher assessment results based on the teacher’s self-assessment results, the opinions of the teacher’s colleagues and his/her actual performance of duties demonstrated by authentic, appropriate proofs.

2. Classification of assessment results

a) Attaining excellent standardized teacher professionalism: All the criteria must be attained at “Good” level or higher, of which at least two-thirds at “Excellent” level, and the criteria prescribed in Article 5 of this Regulation must be attained at “Excellent” level;

b) Attaining good standardized teacher professionalism: All the criteria must be attained at “Qualified” level or higher, of which at least two-thirds at “Good” level, and the criteria prescribed in Article 5 of this Regulation must be attained at “Good” level;

c) Attaining standardized teacher professionalism: All the criteria must be attained at “Qualified” level or higher;

d) Not yet attaining standardized teacher professionalism: Some criteria have not been attained (the teachers do not reach the attainment level of such criteria).

Article 11. Cycles of standardized teacher professionalism assessment

1. Teachers shall self-assess their standardized teacher professionalism once a year at the end of the school year.

2. Heads of general education institutions shall assess their teachers’ standardized teacher professionalism every two years at the end of the school year.

3. In special cases, with the consent of the superior management agencies, the schools may shorten the cycles of standardized teacher professionalism assessment.

Article 12. Key teachers in general education institutions

1. Criteria for recognition as key teachers in general education institutions

a) Being a teacher of a general education institution with at least 05 years of direct teaching experience at the same level until the time of recognition;

b) Attaining the standardized teacher professionalism at “Good” level or higher, in which the criteria prescribed in Article 5 of this Regulation must be attained at “Good” level;

c) Being capable of designing and teaching model lessons, organizing seminars, workshops, and refreshers on teaching and educational methods and techniques, innovative contents related to professional activities and skills, and fostering such skills of colleagues in the school or other schools in the respective locality;

d) Being capable of using foreign languages, applying information technology, employing technological equipment in teaching and education, building and developing digital learning materials, and fostering teachers’ skills;

e) Being willing to become a key general education teacher.

In case the number of teachers in a general education institution satisfying the criteria specified at Points a, b, c, d, e, Clause 1 of this Article is greater than that requested by the superior management agency, those who should be recognized as key general education teachers shall be selected based on with the following criteria: having the professional qualifications higher than the standards; attaining excellent standardized teacher professionalism; being recognized as excellent teachers at the provincial level or having particularly excellent achievements in teaching and education; having scientific and technical research products, innovative solutions in teaching and education that are recognized and widely used in schools and in the respective locality.

2. The process of selecting key teachers in a general education institution

a) The general education institution shall select and propose the teachers to be recognized as key general education teachers and report the results to the superior management agency;

b) The head of the district-level Division of Education and Training shall select and approve teachers on the list of key general education teachers based on their competence; report the list to the provincial-level Department of Education and Training;

c) The director of the provincial-level Department of Education and Training shall scrutinize and recognize the list of key general education teachers based on their competence; report the list to the Ministry of Education and Training upon request.

3. A key general education teacher shall:

a) Support and advise colleagues in the school or other schools in the respective locality to develop their professional qualities, competence, and skills in accordance with the standardized teacher professionalism, which should be suitable to the conditions of the schools and the locality;

b) Support and advise colleagues in the school or other schools in the respective locality on issues related to ensuring and improving the qualities of teaching and education for students; participate in compiling subject-specific documents and manuals (for teachers and students); organize and guide scientific research projects of students at the request of heads of general education institutions and management authorities;

c) Guide and support colleagues in the school or other schools in the respective locality with regard to activities related to the formulation and implementation of school education plans and course plans; the implementation of training courses and refreshers for teachers via the Internet; the improvement of professional competence for teachers in the school or other schools in the respective locality; participate in annual training courses and refreshers for teachers upon request of education authorities (at the district level, provincial level, and ministerial level);

d) Advise the authorities directly managing them on the development of school education plans suitable to the specific conditions of the respective locality in order to ensure the objectives and qualities of teaching, education and improvement of the teaching staff’s professional competence; participate in the organization of seminars, professional activities in the school or other schools in the respective locality as well as present professional reports at such events;

e) Connect and cooperate with institutions specialized in teacher training and improvement as well as research, application, and transfer of educational science (especially applicable pedagogical science).

Chapter IV

ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

Article 13. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Education and Training

The Department of Teachers and Education Managers shall direct, guide and inspect the implementation of the provisions in this document; develop a plan for training, improving, and developing the teaching staff at general education institutions with the qualities and competence levels as required by the standardized teacher professionalism.

Article 14. Provincial-level Departments of Education and Training shall

1. Direct and organize the implementation of this Regulation in accordance with their jurisdictions; update and report to the Ministry of Education and Training the results of teacher assessment based on the standardized teacher professionalism before June 30 every year.

2. Develop and implement plans to train, improve and develop the training staff in general education institutions in accordance with their jurisdictions based on the results of standardized teacher professionalism assessment.

Article 15. District-level Divisions of Education and Training shall

1. Direct and organize the implementation of this Regulation with their jurisdictions; update and report to the respective provincial-level Departments of Education and Training the results of teacher assessment based on standardized teacher professionalism.

2. Develop and implement plans to train, improve and develop the training staff in general education institutions in accordance with their jurisdictions based on the results of standardized teacher professionalism assessment.

Article 16. Responsibilities of general education institutions

1. Heads of general education institutions shall direct and organize the assessment of teachers based on the standardized teacher professionalism; update and report to their superior management agencies the results of teacher assessment based on standardized teacher professionalism.

2. Develop and implement plans to train, improve and develop the training staff in general education institutions in accordance with their jurisdictions based on the results of standardized teacher professionalism assessment.

3. Advise their superior management agencies and local authorities on the management and training to improve the qualities, professional competence, and expertise of the teaching staff in general education institutions based on the results of standardized teacher professionalism assessment.