Circular 24/2025/TT-BGDDT amending Regulation of the National Science and Engineering Research Competition for lower secondary and upper secondary students

CIRCULAR

Amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Regulation of the National Science and Engineering Research Competition for lower secondary and upper secondary students promulgated together with Circular No. 06/2024/TT-BGDDT dated April 10, 2024, of the Minister of Education and Training

Pursuant to the Law on Education No. 43/2019/QH14;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 37/2025/ND-CP dated February 26, 2025 defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

At the proposal of the Director of the General Education Department;

The Minister of Education and Training promulgates the Circular amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Regulation of the National Science and Engineering Research Competition for lower secondary and upper secondary students promulgated together with Circular No. 06/2024/TT-BGDDT dated April 10, 2024, of the Minister of Education and Training.

Article 1. Amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Regulation of the National Science and Engineering Research Competition for lower secondary and upper secondary students promulgated together with Circular No. 06/2024/TT-BGDDT dated April 10, 2024, of the Minister of Education and Training

1. To amend and supplement Clause 2, Article 5 as follows:

“2. Number of competing projects

a) From the 2026-2027 academic year, the maximum number of competing projects of each Department of Education and Training shall be calculated according to the following formula:

Where:

Number of department-level competing projects of the Department of Education and Training: means the total number of projects eligible to compete at the department level of such Department of Education and Training in the academic year immediately preceding the year in which the Competition is organized;

Total number of department-level competing projects of the Departments of Education and Training of provinces and cities: means the total number of projects eligible to compete at the department level of all Departments of Education and Training in the academic year immediately preceding the year in which the Competition is organized.

- Based on the ratio of competing projects, each Department of Education and Training may register the number of competing projects as follows:

+ Where the ratio of competing projects is less than or equal to 01, a maximum of 03 (three) competing projects may be registered;

+ Where the ratio of competing projects is greater than 01 and less than or equal to 05, a maximum of 06 (six) competing projects may be registered;

+ Where the ratio of competing projects is greater than 05 and less than or equal to 10, a maximum of 09 (nine) competing projects may be registered;

+ Where the ratio of competing projects is greater than 10, a maximum of 12 (twelve) competing projects may be registered.

b) For competing units being general education institutions directly under the Ministry and ministerial-level agencies (hereinafter collectively referred to as schools directly under the Ministry), universities, institutes, and academies, each unit may register a maximum of 03 (three) competing projects;

c) The host unit of the Competition may additionally register a maximum of 06 (six) competing projects.

d) A competing unit may nominate an additional 01 (one) competing project for each project that won a Fourth Prize or higher at an international competition in the immediately preceding year, which was selected and assigned by the Ministry of Education and Training to participate.”

2. To amend and supplement Points b and c, Clause 1, Article 7 as follows:

“b) The Deputy Head shall be the leaders of the General Education Department, the leaders of a number of units under the Ministry of Education and Training, and the leaders of the province or city hosting the Competition;

c) Members shall be the leaders and specialists of units under the Ministry of Education and Training and of the host unit of the Competition;”.

3. To amend and supplement Clause 3, Article 7 as follows:

“3. Tasks and powers of the Head of the Steering Committee

a) To direct the Competition; to approve the Plan for organizing the Competition; to establish the Appraisal Council for dossiers of competing projects; to approve the structure of fields and groups of fields for competing projects; to approve the prize structure of the Competition; to approve the list of competing projects;

b) To approve the procedures for guiding the judging process; to establish the Jury; to approve the prize-winning results of competing projects; to approve the list of international competing projects;

c) To decide on the handling of extraordinary situations arising in the course of organizing the Competition.”

4. To amend and supplement Clause 1, Article 8 as follows:

“1. The General Education Department shall be the standing unit of the Steering Committee of the Competition.”

5. To add Point e, Clause 2, Article 8 as follows:

“e) To advise the Head of the Steering Committee and the leadership of the Ministry of Education and Training on the handling of extraordinary situations arising in the course of organizing the Competition.”

6. To amend and supplement Point a, Clause 1, Article 9 as follows:

“a) The Chairperson shall be the leadership of the General Education Department;”

7. To amend and supplement Point b, Clause 2, Article 9 as follows:

“b) To prepare the list of projects eligible to compete and propose the structure of fields and groups of fields for submission to the Head of the Steering Committee for approval.”

8. To amend and supplement Point c, Clause 1, Article 10 as follows:

“c) The Secretary assisting the Jury shall be specialists of units under the Ministry of Education and Training, lecturers, and teachers.”

9. To amend and supplement Point a, Clause 2, Article 12 as follows:

“a) To organize the competition at the level of the competing unit, select competing projects in accordance with the evaluation criteria specified in Appendix 2 to this Regulation, and nominate projects to participate in the Competition in the number prescribed in Article 5;”

10. To add Point d, Clause 3, Article 13 as follows:

“d) To comply with the provisions specified in Article 4 of this Regulation.”

11. To amend and supplement Clause 2, Article 14 as follows:

“2. Based on the results of appraisal of competing project dossiers and the number of competing projects in each field, the Chairperson of the Appraisal Council for competing project dossiers shall prepare the list of projects eligible to compete and propose the structure of competing fields and groups of fields for submission to the Head of the Steering Committee for approval.”

12. To amend and supplement Points a and b, Clause 2, Article 15 as follows:

“a) Competing projects winning First Prizes of the Competition shall be eligible for selection to participate in international competing projects;

b) Based on the approved structure of fields and groups of fields and the approved number of First Prizes, the standing unit of the Steering Committee of the Competition shall propose an International Project Selection Jury drawn from the Jury of the Competition, headed by the Head of the Jury (hereinafter referred to as the Selection Jury), for submission to the Head of the Steering Committee of the Competition for approval;”

13. To amend and supplement Clause 2, Article 17 as follows:

“2. The total number of prizes of the Competition shall not exceed 60% of the total number of competing projects. Of which, the number of First Prizes shall not exceed 10% of the total number of prizes; the number of Second Prizes shall not exceed 20% of the total number of prizes; the number of Third Prizes shall not exceed 30% of the total number of prizes; and Fourth Prizes shall account for the remaining percentage of the total number of prizes.”

14. To amend and supplement Clause 2, Article 22 as follows:

“2. Based on this Regulation, to promulgate guidelines and organize the competition at the level of the competing unit; select competing projects; register for participation; ensure scientific integrity and professional ethics in scientific research of competing projects in accordance with Regulation. To publicly disclose the projects selected and nominated to compete at the national level.”

15. To amend and supplement Clause 1, Article 26 as follows:

“1. Research supervisors shall be responsible for scientific integrity and professional ethics in scientific research; and ensure that competing projects meet the requirements prescribed in this Regulation.”

16. To amend and supplement Article 27 as follows:

“Article 27. Inspection

Where necessary, the competent management authority shall decide to establish an inspection team to inspect the organization of the Competition.”

Article 2. Transitional provisions

The number of projects of competing units being Departments of Education and Training in the Competition for the 2025-2026 academic year shall continue to be implemented in accordance with Points a and c, Clause 2, Article 5 of the Regulation on the National Science and Engineering Competition for Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary Students promulgated together with the Minister of Education and Training’s Circular No. 06/2024/TT-BGDDT dated April 10, 2024, until the end of the 2025-2026 academic year. For the Departments of Education and Training following the rearrangement of provincial-level administrative units, the maximum number of competing projects shall be the total number of competing projects of the competing units prior to the rearrangement.

Article 3. Implementation provisions

1. This Circular shall take effect on November 28, 2025.
2. The Chief of the Office, the Director of the General Education Department, heads of relevant units under the Ministry of Education and Training, Chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees, Directors of Departments of Education and Training, and other relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals shall implement this Circular./.

For the Minister

The Deputy Minister

PHAM NGOC THUONG