Screenshot from the video clip, which has sparked public outrage.

Mental health in schools can no longer be sidelined. Experts warn that supporting students’ psychological wellbeing is an urgent, non-negotiable responsibility if children are to grow and thrive. Early detection of distress is critical, as untreated issues can hinder learning, development and long-term wellbeing.

Associate Professor Phạm Mạnh Hà, Doctor of Educational Psychology from the Faculty of Education at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, told VietnamPlus that gaps in students' mental health care persist and called for comprehensive strategies to address them.

A video showing a 7th-grader grabbing a teacher by the hair and throwing her to the ground to retrieve a confiscated sharp toy has sparked public outrage. As an educator and an expert in educational psychology, how do you view this incident?

As a teacher, I was truly shocked and heartbroken when I saw that clip. The student’s behaviour is entirely unacceptable, violating every ethical norm and the long-standing tradition of respecting teachers. Public anger over the incident is completely understandable.

However, as an educational psychology lecturer, I cannot stop at outrage. I see this violent act as merely the tip of the iceberg – the culmination of a series of psychological problems that had been building up, went undetected and unaddressed in time.

Such an impulsive act is not simply a case of misbehaviour or defying discipline. It may well be a desperate cry for help from a child struggling with severe emotional regulation issues, invisible pressures from family and peers, or even challenges in their living environment.

Instead of merely condemning the act, we need to ask what drove a child to the point of such extreme agitation. This is a crisis that calls for a multidimensional, humane and professional response, not just disciplinary measures.

For the student, stabilising their mental state must be the priority. The immediate step should not be punishment, but removing them from criticism and placing them in a safe environment where they can calm down.

School psychologists should intervene, speak with the student, and investigate their family circumstances, relationships and pressures to identify the root cause of the behaviour.

Associate Professor and Doctor of Educational Psychology Phạm Mạnh Hà, Faculty of Education at Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Photo courtesy of Phạm Mạnh Hà

The school, the family and mental health professionals must work together to build a tailored educational and support plan. The goal is not punishment, but helping the child recognise wrongdoing, learn emotional self-control and repair the harm caused.

The teacher is a victim, having suffered severe physical and emotional shock. She must receive immediate psychological support to overcome the trauma and regain her confidence and sense of safety in the classroom.

School leaders and colleagues need to stand with her, protect her and offer solidarity so that she does not face the pressure alone.

This incident occurred just as the Ministry of Education and Training issued a new circular on student rewards and discipline, in which the most severe sanction is requiring a student to write a self-criticism. Some argue that this is not a strong enough deterrent, especially for students with behavioural issues. What is your view?

The timing of the two events has sparked heated debate, but I believe blaming the new circular for the incident is a hasty conclusion.

In my view, eliminating school suspension as a disciplinary measure is a step forward in educational thinking, a shift from punitive education to humane, constructive education.

Harsh punishment does not solve the root of the problem. Expulsion is merely a quick fix, removing the visible symptom of the problem while leaving underlying issues untouched.

Pushing a troubled child out of school is essentially the school giving up and shifting responsibility to society. This increases the risk that the child will go astray and become a greater burden later.

Education is a responsibility. The new circular compels schools to stay with their students until the end, requiring more sophisticated and effective educational approaches instead of relying on the harshest disciplinary tools.

The real challenge lies in implementation: do we have the resources and skills to put this policy into practice? For the new circular to work, we need a coordinated support system, teachers trained in crisis intervention, school psychologists with real authority and meaningful collaboration between families and schools.

Instead of calling for a return to old punitive measures, we should focus on building the conditions necessary to bring the circular’s humanistic spirit to life.

Currently, most public schools still lack full-time school psychologists. How do you assess the role of school psychological counselling and its implementation in Việt Nam?

This is one of the biggest barriers in our education system, and the reason why painful incidents like this still happen.

School counselling rooms should be the heart of a happy school. Psychologists should not only work with troubled students and provide direct support to students, teachers and parents in times of crisis, but also play a preventive role - screening and detecting early signs of psychological distress.

They should organise workshops and practical sessions on life skills and parenting skills to improve mental wellbeing for the entire school community, helping students, teachers and parents build healthy psychological development.

Unfortunately, we are in a situation where school counselling services exist but are insufficient, undervalued or poorly implemented.

There is a shortage of trained psychologists, both in numbers and quality. Many schools do not have a counselling room, or if they do, the role is handled by staff with other responsibilities, often without professional training.

Another problem is the common misconception that counselling rooms are only for 'bad' students. This stigma discourages students from seeking help, and teachers and parents have yet to fully appreciate the importance of these services. As a result, school psychologists often lack influence, resources and a clear mechanism to work with other school departments.

I believe that unless we seriously invest in and elevate the status of school psychological counselling, the humane goals of the new circular will be hard to achieve. Caring for students’ mental health must be seen as an urgent, non-negotiable task.

The Politburo has just issued Resolution 71 on breakthroughs in education and training development, which states that moral education has not been given adequate attention and remains ineffective. In your opinion, what are the causes, and how can we teach ideology and traditional ethics more effectively to students?

Resolution 71 has accurately identified the situation. The recent incident is a painful reminder of where moral education has failed.

The reason moral, ideological and lifestyle education has been ineffective in schools is because of the formalistic, hollow way it is delivered and the lack of consistent, coordinated action.

Moral education often turns into dogmatic lectures or rigid slogans on the walls, instead of being translated into practical, lived experiences. Students memorise content for exams, but they do not internalise it as a guide for life.

What they see outside the classroom — on social media, in society and sometimes even in their own families — often contradicts what they are taught at school. The real-world environment lacks role models of kindness, tolerance and respect.

Our curricula are heavy on academic knowledge but light on emotional development and life skills. We are too focused on cramming information and neglect teaching students foundational social–emotional skills like empathy, anger management, non-violent communication and conflict resolution.

To make moral and ideological education more effective, we must shift from lecturing to experiencing. Moral education should be embedded in hands-on activities such as community projects, volunteer work and simulated problem-solving scenarios.

Teachers themselves must serve as living examples. This is the true meaning of the saying 'a teacher must be a teacher.' The weight of a teacher’s words depends on their own character, fairness and compassion. This is the most powerful and authentic form of moral education.

In addition, emotional education must be integrated into the school curriculum. Schools should systematically include social and emotional learning programmes in the core syllabus to help students understand and manage their inner world.— VNS