DECISION

PROMULGATING REGULATIONS ON THE SPECIALIST CLASSROOM

THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 178/2007/ND-CP dated December 03, 2007 defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of Ministries and ministerial agencies;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 32/2008/ND-CP dated March 19th 2008, 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, elaborating and providing guidance on the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Education:

Pursuant to the Decision No. 07/2007/QD-BGDDT of the Minister of Education and Training dated April 2, 2007 on promulgating the Charter of secondary schools, high schools and multi-level schools;

At the request of the Director of Secondary Education Department,

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Article 1. The regulation on specialist classrooms shall be issued together with this Decision.

Article 2. This Decision shall come into force after 15 days from the date of being announced on the Official Gazette and replace the Decision No. 32/2004/QD-BGD&DT of the Minister of Education and Training dated September 24, 2004 on promulgating the regulation on accrediting specialist classrooms of the secondary school which met the national standards.

Article 3. The Chief Officer, the Director of Secondary Education Department, the Head of relevant affiliates of the Ministry of Education and Training, the President of the People's Committee of centrally-affiliated cities or provinces, the Director of the Department of Education and Training shall be responsible for implementing this Decision ./.

PP. THE MINISTER
THE DEPUTY MINISTER




Nguyen Vinh Hien

REGULATION

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(Issued together with the Decision No. 37 /2008/QD-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training dated July 16, 2008)

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of application and applicable entities

1. This Decision shall stipulate issues concerning the specialist classroom, including specification, technical standards in specialist classrooms, management and use of specialist classrooms.

2. This Decision shall apply to secondary, high schools and multi-level schools (hereinafter referred to as secondary schools) that belong to the national education system.

Article 2. Interpretation of terms

In order to facilitate in-school teaching activities, schools must have both normal classrooms in which audio-visual media equipment are installed and classrooms intended for particular subjects. Terms like specialist classroom, preparation rooms and minimum work space shall be construed as follows:

1. Specialist classroom means a type of the function classroom which is equipped and installed with proper auxiliary devices and equipment used for teaching activities and particularly intended for a single subject or some different ones.

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3. Minimum work space means the indoor space, exclusive of the space designed for balcony, entrance and the space occupied by walls and pillars on the ground.

Article 3. Objective of promulgating regulations on the specialist classroom

1. Provide consistent national standards that technical equipment installed in a specialist classroom is required to meet to serve the purpose of teaching activities in secondary schools which must be aligned with the basic education program.

2. Serve as the basis for secondary schools' development of new specialist classrooms or rehabilitation of existing ones in order to improve the teaching quality.

Article 4. Amount of specialist classrooms

An amount of specialist classrooms in a secondary school shall be determined on the basis of an education program or plan introduced by the Ministry of Education and Training. As for a specific subject, an amount of specialist classrooms shall be calculated on the basis of the total number of laboratory and practice study periods that all class grades must conduct.

Article 5. Nomenclature of specialist classrooms

A specialist classroom shall be named after specific academic subjects, sectors or combined subjects; if a school has a lot of specialist classrooms, numerical characters must be added into the name.

Chapter II

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Article 6. Minimum work space that a specialist classroom and facility may have

1. This minimum work space shall be calculated on the basis of the minimum work space provided for a student multiplied by the number of students per each class as stipulated in the Charter of secondary schools, high schools and multi-level schools plus the minimum space used for placing teaching aids.

2. As for secondary education level, the minimum work space provided for a student shall be 1.85 ^m2; especially, classrooms intended for the technology subject must provide the minimum work space of 2.25 m² per a student.

3. As for high school education level, the minimum work space provided for a student shall be 2.00 m²; especially, classrooms intended for the technology subject shall provide the minimum work space of 2.45 m² per a student.

4. Each classroom used for teaching such academic subjects as physics, chemistry and technology must interconnect with a preparation room covering an area ranging from 12 m² to 27 m² per each.

5. As for specialist classrooms and facilities built before the effective date of this regulation, the smaller space is acceptable but does not exceed 12% compared with the space stipulated in Clause 2 and 3 of this Article.

Article 7. Dimension of a specialist classroom

1. The length-to-breadth ratio of a specialist classroom and facility shall not be greater than 2.

2. Height of a specialist classroom and facility (from ground surface to ceiling) shall be 3.30 m or more.

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Chapter III

TECHNICAL STANDARDS OF A SPECIALIST CLASSROOM

Article 8. Floor of a specialist classroom

The floor of a specialist classroom must be easy to clean, must be anti-slip, and resistant to cracks, wear and distortion, humidity and moisture or any chemical effect.

Article 9. Main doors and windows of a specialist classroom

Main door and windows of a specialist classroom must conform to regulations on the construction standards in effect. A specialist classroom must have 02 entrance and exit doors at the two ends of the classroom. Such doors must be wide enough to exit in case of emergency; built-in interconnecting door must be available to connect the specialist classroom with the preparation classroom.

Article 10. Natural lighting

The specialist classroom must be naturally lightened in conformity with lighting standards in effect. Natural light must be let through from the direction of the left hand of students facing the study board. Doors and windows of a specialist classroom must be designed to get natural light, help to keep the classroom well-ventilated, protect the classroom from cold wind, rain and sunlight through the classroom, and concurrently ensure the convenience and safety for use as well as easy to clean.

Article 11. Artificial lighting

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2. The combined lighting system (ambient or accent lights) must be installed in a specialist classroom. The irradiance of lights in a specialist classroom shall not be less than 15w/ m², and the radiant flux received by a work surface shall not be less than 300 lux.

Article 12. Classroom desk arrangement

Classroom desk arrangement must comply with the regulation on the viewing angle between students and the study board, space between blocks, rows of desks, study board and surrounding walls in accordance with legal regulations, and conform to various teaching activities.

Article 13. Interior furniture of a specialist classroom

1. A specialist classroom and a preparation room stipulated in Clause 4 Article 6 hereof shall be decorated with uniform furniture, cabinets and shelving intended for particular purposes.

2. Desks used in a physics, chemistry, biology and technology classroom must be dedicated ones and meet particular requirements of specific academic subjects; must have power, water and gas supply system to meet the use demand.

3. Tall cabinets and shelving must be tidily placed inside the preparation room. Some of them must be placed with their back facing the back wall of the specialist classroom. Low cabinets or shelving shall be placed underneath the windowsill alongside both swing walls of the specialist classroom.

4. Door curtains of a specialist classroom must be placed to meet the demand for protecting the interior space from general or accent light.

5. The portrait of well-known scientist as an emblem of a specific subject must be put into a picture frame and must be mounted onto the most formal and visible place to students.

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1. All of teaching aids available in a specialist classroom must be tidily arranged into customary cabinets and shelving which are convenient for use and storage.

2. A specialist classroom must have presentation equipment such as projectors, object display cameras and computers. The classroom intended for computer science subject must be equipped with a server and internet-connected computers.

3. The number of teaching equipment used in each subject must conform to regulations laid down in the list of basic teaching equipment in a school issued by the Minister of Education and Training. Schools can be further equipped with other equipment.

Article 15. Technical and safety standards of a specialist classroom

1. The specialist classroom must conform to the safety and technical standard; have fire safety equipment that meet the applicable standards of construction and installation; conform to the standard for operation and management of particular educational activities of each subject.

2. Electricity, gas and water supply system, sewage, exhaust and toxic gas discharge system along with ancillary equipment must be directly installed at the place where they are used and operated in order to ensure convenience for use and repair or maintenance.

3. Specific requirements for several specialist classrooms:

a) Classrooms used for teaching physics, technology subjects shall be supplied with alternating current power (common voltages) and direct current power (adjustable outputs ranging from 0-24V/2A), water and gas supply and discharge system, and other equipment that meet technical and safety standards such as air ventilators, exhaust gas, toxic odor and emission discharge system, fire and explosion fighting and prevention system; first aid kit used for giving first aid in case of emergency;

b) Classrooms used for teaching chemistry and biology subjects, in addition to being equipped with the equipment items stipulated by Point a, Clause 3 of this Article, shall be supplied with drying cabinets, fume hoods, vent and exhaust hoods, basins, taps and sewage drains connected with desks to serve the purpose of conducting laboratory tests;

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d) Those that discharge waste substances contaminating the environment must be equipped with the waste treatment system.

Chapter IV

MANAGEMENT AND USE OF A SPECIALIST CLASSROOM

Article 16. Management and operation of a specialist classroom

1. The headmaster of a school shall be responsible for directing all activities of a subject or assigning a department leader to directly take charge of these ones.

2. The leader of a subject shall assist the school leadership in supervising all activities that take place in specialist classrooms and implementing reporting regulations in accordance with laws.

3. School staff in charge of teaching equipment shall directly manage all activities of a subject and implementing reporting regulations in accordance with laws.

4. Tracking records or books must be available to track and monitor use of teaching equipment in a specialist classroom.

5. A plan to use a specialist classroom must be set up on weekly, monthly, termly and academic-yearly basis.

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7. The specialist classroom must meet all demands of teachers and students for laboratory tests in conformity with contents or requirements of each subject.

Article 17. Requirements that school staff in charge of teaching aids or equipment

1. School staff members in charge of teaching aids or equipment must have expertise in testing or practice activities in laboratory or practice rooms, and hold a certificate of completion of refresher courses held for these staff members working for basic education institutions in accordance with the Ministry of Education and Training.

2. School staff members in charge of teaching aids and equipment shall assume their responsible to:

a) Collaborate with each subject group and teachers of a subject group in preparing teaching equipment and aids, and help to guide students to properly use these equipment and aids to conduct their testing or practice activities;

b) Keep records or books, and describe, classify, arrange teaching equipment and aids in a logical and systematic manner to be used to meet the demand of each subject;

c) Set up the plan to carry out periodical examination of teaching equipment and aids, technical and safety standards of these ones in each specialist classroom and facility for the purpose of maintenance or repair, or propose any repair or procurement to provide additional equipment or aids when needed;

d) Take part in refresher courses.

3. Teachers in charge of a specialist classroom under the dual employment arrangement shall assume the responsibilities, rights and accept the rights which are the same as staff members in charge of teaching equipment and aids.

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1. The specialist classroom and facility shall be used for teaching subjects involving laboratory testing and practice activities.

2. A specialist classroom must be maintained on a regular scheduling basis; any damaged teaching equipment and aid must be repaired immediately. Additional chemicals and consumable materials must be punctually provided in order to ensure that teaching activities shall be normally run.

3. Tallying and liquidating teaching equipment and aids in specialist classrooms and facilities shall be carried out on an annual basis in accordance with legal regulations on tallying state assets.