CIRCULAR

PROMULGATING REGULATIONS ON ASSESSMENT OF PRIMARY STUDENTS

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No.36/2012/ND-CP dated April 18, 2012 defining functions, duties, authorities and organizational structure of the Ministry and ministerial-level agencies;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No.36/2008/ND-CP dated March 19, 2008 defining functions, duties, authorities 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 instructing the implementation of some articles of the Law on education; The Government's Decree No. 31/2011/ND-CP dated May 11, 2011 amending and supplementing some articles of the Government’s Decree 75/2006/ND-CP dated August 02, 2006; The Government’s Decree 07/2013/ND-CP dated January 09, 2013 amending Point b, Clause 13, Article 1 of the Government's Decree No. 31/2011/ND-CP dated May 11, 2011;

At the proposal of General Director of Primary Education Department;

The Minister of Education and Training has promulgated the Circular stipulating assessment of primary students.

Article 1. Enclosed together with this Circular

Article 2. This Circular comes into force since October 15, 2014. This Circular replaces the Minister of Education and Training’s Circular No. 32/2009/TT-BGDDT promulgating regulations on assessment and grading of primary students.

Article 3. The Chief officers, General Director of Primary Education Department, General Director of Department of Examination and Education Quality Assessment, heads of relevant agencies under the Ministry of Education and Training, directors of the services of education and training are responsible for exercising this Circular.

REGULATION

ASSESSMENT OF PRIMARY STUDENTS
(Enclosed together with the Minister of Education and Training’s Circular No.30/2014/TT-BGDDT dated August 28, 2014)

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope and regulated entities

1. This document regulates the assessment of primary students including: content and manner of assessment and employment of assessment results.

2. This document applies to primary schools; primary classes in multi-level primary schools and specialized schools; other educational institutions running primary education programs; organizations, individuals participating in primary education activities.

Article 2. Assessment of primary students

Assessment of primary students specified in this Regulation includes observing, monitoring, exchanging, examining and making comments on students’ process of learning and practice; advise, instruct and encourage students; carry out qualitative and quantitative comments on their process of learning and practice, formation and development of some capabilities and qualities of primary students;

Article 3. Purposes of assessment

1. Help teachers adapt and innovate method and manner of teaching, real-life experience during and after each phase of teaching and education; punctually discover endeavors and advances of students to give encouragement; discover difficulties beyond students’ ability to overcome to provide instructions and support; make correct judgments about students' strong and weak points in order to introduce solutions for improvement of quality and productivity of students’ learning and practice; contribute to fulfilling the target of primary education.

2. Help students be able to perform self-assessment and participate in student assessment; self-adapt the way of learning; develop communication and cooperation skills; have excitement in learning and practice for advancement.

3. Help students' parents or guardians (hereinafter referred to as parents) participate in the assessment of school performance, practice, formation and development of students’ capabilities and qualities; cooperate actively with schools in educational activities.

4. Help educational management officers of different levels direct educational activities punctually, renew methodology of teaching and assessment in order to achieve educational efficiency.

Article 4. Principles of assessment

1. Assessment is carried out for the advancement of students; students' positive aspects and spirits to overcome difficulties in learning and practice should be encouraged and highly valued; help students bring into play all their abilities, ensure promptness, fairness and objectiveness.

2. Students shall be comprehensively assessed in terms of achievement of standardized knowledge, skills and some expression of capabilities and qualities according to the target of primary education.

3. Assessments from teachers, students and parents should be combined and teachers’ are considered the most important.

4. Advancement of students should be assessed without comparing these students against the others, creating pressure on students, teachers and parents.

Chapter II

SUBJECT MATTERS AND MANNER OF ASSESSMENT

Article 5. Subject matters of assessment

1. Assess school performance and advancement of students in terms of standardized knowledge, skills in each subject and other educational activities according to primary education programs.

2. Assess the formation and development of some capabilities of students:

a) Self-service, self-management

b) Communication and cooperation;

c) Self-learning and problem solving

3. Assess the formation and development of some qualities of students:

a) Studiousness, diligence; enthusiasm about taking part in educational activities;

b) Self-confidence, self-esteem and personal responsibility

c) Honesty, discipline, and solidarity;

d) Love for families, friends and others; schools, classrooms, hometown and native country.

Article 6. Continuous assessment

1. Continuous assessment includes assessments that are carried out during student’s learning and practice according to the process of subjects' contents and other educational activities in which the application of knowledge and skills at schools, at home and in the society is included.

2. In respect of continuous assessment, teachers shall record most notable remarks in logbooks, results achieved or yet to be achieved; specific measures to help students overcome difficulties in their performance; specific expressions of the formation and development of students’ capabilities, qualities; special attentions should be paid to things that help facilitate monitoring and educating students, student groups in learning and practice.

Article 7. Continuous assessment to be carried out on school performance, advancement and results in terms of standardized knowledge, skills in each subject and other educational activities according to primary education programs.

1. Participants in continuous assessment include teachers and students (self-assessment and remarks, contribution of ideas through group and class activities); parents’ participation in assessment is encouraged.

2. Teachers’ assessment

a) During teaching process, based on characteristics and objectives of each lesson and activity to be executed by students in the lesson, teachers shall perform some tasks as below:

- Observe, monitor, exchange and examine the process and performance of each student or student group according to the process of teaching;

- Make oral or verbal comments in students’ notebooks about results achieved or yet to be achieved; level of knowledge and capacity to make use of knowledge; proficiency of skills necessary and suitable for lessons, student’s activities;

- Take interests in individual students’ progress of performance; take specific measures to punctually help students overcome difficulties. Due to unequal level of capacity, difference in term and level of performance may be accepted;

b) On a weekly basis, teachers shall pay attention to students who are yet to fulfill their tasks; provide prompt assistance for students to fulfill their tasks;

c) On a monthly basis, teachers shall make verbal comments in logbooks about students' level of performance in each subject, and other educational activities; plan and apply specific and separate measure to be able to provide early support to students who are yet to complete subjects and other educational activities in a month;

d) When making comments, teachers should give special attention to giving encouragement, making comments on students' achievements and advances as a way to help them build confidence and move forward;

dd) Use of scores for continuous assessment is not permitted.

3. Students shall carry out self-assessment; participate in making remarks, contribution of ideas:

a) Students shall carry out self-assessment right in the process or after each duty or educational activity is fulfilled, and report to teachers;

b) Students shall participate in making remarks, contribution of ideas right in the process of completing learning duties, educational activities; discuss, instruct and help their peers to complete duties.

4. Parents’ participation in assessment:

Parents are encouraged to collaborate with teachers and schools on encouraging and helping students in their learning and practice; parents shall be instructed by teachers to observe and encourage students’ activities or stay shoulder to shoulder with them in activities; exchange with teachers on remarks and evaluations made to students orally or verbally as appropriate.

Article 8. Continuous assessment of formation and development of students’ capabilities

1. Students’ capabilities are formed and developed through the process of learning, practice and life experiencing inside and outside of schools. Teachers shall assess the formation and development of students’ capabilities through expressions and behaviors as follows:

a) Self-service, self-management: be able to perform a number of jobs to serve their personal activities such as personal hygiene, self-catering, and dressing; some jobs to serve learning such as preparing learning tools in class and at home; some jobs required by teachers, by themselves or assigned by group, class; able to arrange time for learning and activities at home; comply with classroom rules and complete duties;

b) Communication and cooperation: Be confident in social interaction; able to give explicit and concise presentation; communicate right information; language spoken suits circumstances and subjects; have a friendly behavior; listen to others and know how to take advantage of consent;

c) Self-study and problem solving: ability to perform learning duties in class, working in group, class; self-study abilities with or without help from others; perform right duties; share learning results with friends and groups; carry out self-assessment of performance and report to groups or teachers; seek early support from friends, teachers or others; make use of learned things to handle problems in class and in life; discover new situations concerning lesson or in life and find a solution.

2. On a daily and weekly basis, teachers shall observe expressions through students' activities to assess the formation and development of their capabilities; from that point to encourage and help students to overcome difficulties, bring into play their strong points and capabilities, adapt performance for advancement.

On a monthly basis, through the process of observation, opinions exchanged with parents and others (if any), teachers shall make verbal comments in logbooks.

Article 9. Continuous assessment of formation and development of students’ qualities

1. Students’ qualities are formed and developed through the process of learning, practice and real-life experiencing inside and outside of schools. Teachers shall assess the formation and development of students’ qualities through expressions or behaviors as follows:

a) Studious, hard-working and enthusiastic about participating in educational activities: attend class regularly and punctually; frequently exchange subject matters of study and educational activities with friends, teachers and others; be diligent in housework and giving help to parents; be enthusiastic about participating in activities and movement of learning, labor, arts and sports in schools and in locality; be enthusiastic about calling for friends to join tasks of maintaining sanitation and beauty of schools, classes, neighborhood and in public;

b) Confidence and self-responsibilities: Be confident in performing learning duties and presenting personal viewpoints; accept jobs within their strength; take self-responsibility for what they do, no blaming others for their own mistakes;

c) Honesty, self-discipline and solidarity: be honest and truthful about what they say; respect and keep promises; comply strictly with the rules of learning; do not take anything not of their own; have a sense of public property protection;

d) Have a love for families, friends and others; schools, classes, hometown and native country: take interest and care of grandparents, parents and siblings; respect adults and be grateful to teachers; love and help friends; be enthusiastic about participating in activities of collectives, building up schools and classes; keep and protect public properties and environment; take pride in relatives, teachers, schools and hometown; love to understand geographical names and famous figures in the hometown.

2. Everyday or week, teachers shall observe expressions through students' activities to assess the formation and development of their qualities; from that point to encourage and help students to overcome difficulties, bring into play their strong points and qualities, adapt performance for advancement.

On a monthly basis, through the process of observation, opinions exchanged with parents and others (if any), teachers shall make verbal comments in logbooks.

Article 10. Periodical assessment of school performance

1. Headmasters shall direct periodical assessment of school performance, level of achievement of standardized knowledge and skills according to primary education programs at the end of first term and school year with respect to such subjects as Vietnamese language, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, foreign languages, computers, languages of ethic minorities through periodical exams.

2. Topics of periodical exams shall be suitable for standardized knowledge, skills including questions, exercises designed according to students’ level of awareness:

a) Level 1: Students are able to know, remember and remind learned knowledge; use their own way to correctly express or describe knowledge and skills learned and directly apply those knowledge, skills to resolve situations and problems in the process of learning;

b) Level 2: Students can connect and re-arrange learned knowledge, skills to resolve new situations, problems similar to learned situations and problems;

c) Level 3: Students can make use of learned knowledge and skills to resolve new situations and problems which are different from instructed situations and problems or put forth reasonable responses to a new situation and problem in learning and in life.

3. Periodical exams performed by students shall be corrected, commented and marked from 1 to 10 by teachers. No zero and decimals are marked.

Article 11. Summary of assessment

1. At the end of term or school year, headmasters shall direct head teachers to conduct a meeting with other teachers responsible for the same class and through comments on students’ school performance and other educational activities, a summary assessment of formation and development of individual students’ capabilities and qualities shall be carried out.

a) Process of learning in individual subjects and other educational activities, outstanding characteristics, advancement, constraints and level of completion according to standardized knowledge, skills; aptitudes and interests in individual subjects, educational activities; grade students as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory with respect to learned subjects and educational activities;

b) Level of formation and development of capabilities: outstanding expressions of capabilities, advancement, level of formation and development according to specific group of capabilities; contribute ideas with students, make recommendations to schools, parents; grade students as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory;

b) Level of formation and development of qualities: outstanding expressions of qualities, advancement, level of formation and development according to specific group of qualities; share ideas with students, make recommendations to schools, parents; grade students as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory;

d) Other achievements praised and rewarded at the end of term and school year.

2. Headmasters shall make verbal comments and general performance results in school reports. School reports are records to confirm level of completion of the program and determine duties, things to overcome and support with respect to each student when second term or new school year starts.

Article 12. Assessment of disabled students or students from flexible classes 

Based on the regulations on assessment of primary students, assessment of disabled students and students from flexible classes must ensure the rights to care and education for all students.

1. In respect of disabled students who study under the integrated teaching method, if they are able to meet requirements of common educational program, they shall be treated as normal students but school performance result is less required. School subjects or educational activities the common requirements of which can not be met by the students shall be assessed according to the requirement of personal education plan.

2. In respect of disabled students who study under the specialized teaching method, if they are able to meet requirements of the specialized educational program, they shall be assessed according to the regulations intended for specialized education. School subjects or educational activities the specialized requirements of which can not be met by the students shall be assessed according to the requirement of personal education plan.

3. Assessment of students from flexible classes: Teachers shall base themselves on comments, continuous assessment made during school hours in flexible classes and periodical assessment results of Mathematics and Vietnamese shall be carried out according to the provisions set out in Article 10 of this Regulation.

Article 13. Assessment document

1. Assessment document bears testimony to the process of learning, practice and student performance results, and functions as a source of information for educational coordination between teachers, schools and parents.

2. A school year’s assessment document consists of:

a) School reports;

b) Logbooks;

c) Year-end exams;

d) Contact books for exchange of comments (If any) between teachers and parents;

dd) Certificates, certificates of commendation in recognition of students’ achievements in the school year (if any).

Chapter III

USE OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS

Article 14. Consideration of completion of class and primary curriculum

1. Consideration of completion of the class curriculum:

a) Students that are certified as having completed the class curriculum must meet the following conditions:

- Continuous assessment for school subjects and educational activities is satisfactory;

- Year-end assessment for the regulated subjects achieves 5 points and over;

- Level of formation and development of capabilities is satisfactory;

- Level of formation and development of qualities is satisfactory;

b) For students who are yet to complete the class curriculum, teachers shall work out a plan to instruct and provide support to each student; carry out additional assessment to conclude completion of the class curriculum.

c) For students who are instructed and supported directly by teachers but yet to achieve either of the conditions set out in Clause 1 of this Article, depending on level of completion of school subjects, educational activities, periodic exams, formation and development of some capabilities, qualities, teachers shall make a list and report to headmasters for consideration and decision about going up or repeating their year;

d) Results from consideration of completion of the class curriculum shall be recorded in school reports.

2. Consideration of completion of the primary curriculum:

Students who complete curriculum of 5th Grade shall be certified and recorded in their school reports as having completed the primary curriculum.

Article 15. Inspection and hand-over of education quality

1. Inspection and hand-over of educational quality is carried out to ensure objectiveness of student performance assessment at the end of year or at the end of level and ensure responsibilities of teachers of previous and following 5th graders; help teachers of the following 5th graders have sufficient necessary information about the process and performance results, level of formation and development of capabilities and qualities of students in order to advance a productive plan and measure of education.

2. Headmasters shall direct inspection and hand-over of education quality as follows:

c) For 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders, headmasters shall direct head teachers, teachers teaching the same class and teachers of their next grade:

- Draw up year-end exams and take part in monitoring and grading together;

- Hand over the assessment document as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 13 of this Regulation; exchange comments on outstanding traits or shortcomings to be overcome in terms of awareness, achievement of standardized knowledge, learning skills, educational activities, formation and development of capabilities, qualities of students; formulate minutes of inspection and hand-over of educational quality;

b) For 5th graders:

- Headmasters shall direct faculty to draw up year-end exams for the whole grade; organize monitoring and grading the exams with presence of teachers of lower secondary schools who receive 5th graders as 6th graders in the following year. During the implementation, any opinion is found not totally agreed, headmasters shall consider, decide and report to the office of education and training for monitoring and direction;

- Headmasters shall direct head teachers to complete the assessment document and hand it over to schools.

3. Manager of the office of education and training shall direct schools in the administrative division to organize inspection, take delivery of educational quality of 5th graders who have completed their primary curriculum in accordance with conditions of schools and locality.

Article 16. Rewarding

1. At the end of first term and school year, headmasters shall direct students to discuss promotion of those who achieve outstanding performance results or show great progress in any of the three issues of assessment, achieve outstanding outcomes in emulation movement or other irregular achievements; consult parents, summarize, make a list and submit it to headmasters or upper levels for commendation

2. Content and quantity of students to be praised and commended shall be decided by headmasters.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 17. Responsibilities of Services of Education and Training, Office of Education and Training

1. Director of the Services of Education and Training shall direct managers of the Office of Education and Training to carry out the assessment of primary students in the administrative division and report the outcomes to the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. Managers of the Office of Education and Training shall direct headmasters to carry out the assessment of primary students, inspection and hand-over of educational quality and report the outcomes to the Department of Education and Training.

Article 18. Responsibilities of headmasters

1. Take responsibility for implementing assessment of primary students; reporting the outcomes to the Office of Education and Training.

2. Direct establishment and implementation of student training and supporting; consider completion of class and grade curriculum; make the decision about admission into next grade; approve year-end performance results; manage school reports during school year; provide guidance on inspection and hand-over of educational quality.

3. Receive and solve questions and proposals raised by students and parents on comments, evaluation and rewards within headmasters’ authority.

4. Instruct teachers to use existing school reports of students being admitted before this Circular comes into force to record remarks according to provisions of Article 11 of this Regulation or use new school reports for replacement during their years in primary schools.

Article 19. Responsibilities of teachers

1. Head teachers

a) Take main responsibility for the assessment of primary students, educational quality; complete assessment document according to regulations; carry out inspection and hand-over of educational quality;

b) Prepare and implement monthly plan of training and supporting students

c) At the end of first term or school year or on request, teachers are responsible for reporting students' process of learning and practice, performance results to their parents. Making shortcomings or weak points of students known before class or in parents’ meeting is not accepted. Maintain good relationship with parents to coordinate education

2. Non-head teachers:

a) Take responsibility for evaluating students’ learning and practice, performance outcomes with respect to subjects and educational acitivities according to the provisions of law;

b) Coordinate with head teachers, other teachers and parents to prepare and implement the plan of training and supporting students in their learning and practice;

c) Coordinate with head teachers to carry out the assessment of students' learning and practice, performance outcomes; complete students' assessment document; carry out inspection, hand-over of educational quality;

Article 20. Responsibilities and rights of students

1. Fulfill the duties as stipulated in the Statute of primary schools; be open to the education for advancement.

2. Has the right to raise opinions and have access to instruction and explanation by teachers, headmasters on assessment results.