Proposal: HCMC students may not finish school before 4:30 p.m.

The draft proposal suggests that schools should not start classes earlier than 7:00 a.m. and no class session should begin later than 8:00 a.m. For the morning schedule, classes should not finish before 10:30 a.m., and in the afternoon, dismissal should not be earlier than 4:30 p.m.

Mr. Minh explained that these time frames are designed to create a more reasonable timetable for both teaching and extracurricular activities, while also reducing unnecessary pressure on parents. He pointed out that in practice, many schools currently dismiss students as early as 3:00 p.m., which forces parents to interrupt their workday to pick up their children. Even staff at the DOET have experienced this problem. Therefore, aligning schedules more logically is seen as essential.

The 2025–2026 academic year also marks the nationwide implementation of the Ministry of Education and Training’s policy requiring schools to operate on a two-session-per-day schedule. Under this regulation, each school day may include no more than seven periods. Because of this cap, some schools arranged their classes in a way that led to an early dismissal time—around 3:00 or 3:30 p.m.—which has caused considerable difficulties for working parents.

The new proposal aims to strike a balance: ensuring that students receive sufficient instructional time while also accommodating the realities of family life and work schedules. Schools will be expected to reorganize their teaching and learning activities, including supplementary and extracurricular programs, within the proposed timetable.

The DOET is expected to issue official written guidance soon so that schools can adjust their schedules in time for the current school year. The Department emphasized that beyond academic instruction, education policy must also take into account the needs of parents and the community, ensuring that the school system operates in a way that is both practical and supportive of families.