The Ministry of Education and Training’s Circular 19, which removes school suspension as a disciplinary measure, has sparked concerns and debates about whether repeated offenses will only result in a written self-criticism.

Effective from October 31, 2025, Circular 19 introduces new regulations on student rewards and discipline. It eliminates school suspension, replacing it with educational measures such as reminders, required apologies, public criticism, or writing a self-criticism report. The ministry says the goal is to educate students, helping them reflect and improve, rather than push them out of the schooling environment.

Since its announcement, the circular has triggered widespread public reaction. The most common concern is the absence of a sufficiently strong deterrent.

A reader wrote to VietNamNet: “What if a student refuses to write the self-criticism report? Will they be asked to write another report about refusing to write the first one?”

Reader Nguyen Khanh Hien said: “In cases of verbal abuse or physical assault against teachers or classmates, requiring only a self-criticism report seems ineffective. And what if they simply refuse to write it?”

Parent Nguyen Thi Linh shared her own experience: “Even at home, when my child disobeys, I have to be firm. Teaching my own child is hard enough, what about teachers with tens of students? There must be stronger disciplinary actions so students feel fear, understand right from wrong, and correct their behavior.” She believes children need guidance but also strict discipline.

Agreeing with this, reader Huy Hung Ha recalled his school days: “The stricter the teachers were, the more seriously we studied and completed our assignments.” He worries that reminders, apologies, and self-criticism are not enough to discipline repeat offenders or unruly students.

Van Dien Nguyen, a retired teacher with 38 years of experience, commented: “Back in the day, I scolded and even hit students. Now, many of them thank me and say my strictness helped shape their lives. But I still regret using physical punishment.”

He added: “These days, many of my former students, now parents themselves, complain about their kids. I see primary and secondary students who don’t greet adults and even curse or argue back when corrected. At a private school near my home, students smoke, swear, and insult teachers and parents. If reprimanded, they might retaliate. Could it be that schools are afraid to discipline them? Without proper correction, the consequences could be severe.”

Fear of eroding school discipline

Another group of opinions points to a potential rise in school violence due to weakened disciplinary measures.

Parent Lieu Nguyen warned that if the highest penalty is just a written self-criticism report, students will no longer respect their teachers. “Taking away teachers’ authority will make students harder to manage,” he said.

An elderly reader, Hoang Vu, recalled students who were disrespectful and unruly, making teachers feel helpless. “This breaks down school order and scares other students, who may be too afraid to report bullying for fear of retaliation. The education sector needs real solutions to protect both teachers and students.”

Sharing the same view, reader Viet Nguyen added: “Lenient discipline is the same as letting bad behavior run unchecked.”

Calls for stronger family-school coordination

Readers Tran Thu and Hong Ha proposed implementing community service tasks such as cleaning classrooms or watering plants, ways for students to take responsibility and understand the consequences of their actions.

Reader Hoan Bui Quoc suggested creating specialized schools for students with serious behavioral issues. This could ensure their right to education while protecting overall school discipline.

Huan Dang, a parent with two children in high school, said today schools need a wider range of appropriate disciplinary measures across different education levels to guide students in the right direction and help them become productive citizens.

Responding to the debate, Hoang Duc Minh, director of the Ministry of Education and Training’s Department of Student Affairs, emphasized that Circular 19 represents a shift in approach: discipline is meant to educate, not to punish or expel students.

“Suspension or expulsion is an administrative decision that risks pushing students into the streets, where they may fall into legal trouble. Our goal is to keep them in the educational environment and work with families and society to support their development,” Minh said.

“In serious cases, schools must work with law enforcement to take legal action. The new discipline policy does not mean a lack of school rules,” he stressed.

Thanh Hung