Textbooks published by the Việt Nam Education Publishing House. Photo nxbgd.vn

HÀ NỘI — Compiling textbooks under the 2018 General Education Programme is proving a challenging but meaningful journey for the Việt Nam Education Publishing House (VEPH), as the nation aims to equip pupils with knowledge and essential skills from grade 1 to 12.

Under the guidance of scientists, teachers and education experts, a series of new textbooks was created with the aim of not only imparting knowledge but also developing students' abilities comprehensively.

Nguyễn Tiến Thanh, chairman of the VEPH Board of Members and general director, said that in recent years, when carrying out the task of renewing textbooks according to the 2018 General Education Programme, the Publishing House has been honoured to receive the co-operation of nearly a thousand teachers and scientists.

“Thanks to the continuous efforts, dedication and talent of the team of authors, along with the support of the staff of the publishing house and its member units, the textbooks under the 2018 General Education Programme have been completed and put into use in educational institutions,” said Thanh.

“The quality of the textbooks is not only affirmed through strict appraisal rounds, but also clearly demonstrated through the rate of educational institutions nationwide choosing to use textbooks of VEPH.”

Phạm Quỳnh, the publishing house’s deputy Editor-in-Chief, said that the house had completed compiling two sets of new textbooks.

“During the five years of compiling the textbook. compiling is really a challenging journey to the publishing house,” said Quỳnh.

“The biggest challenges lay in determining the methods and procedures for textbook evaluation, as well as in introducing, training, and distributing the books to pupils and teachers nationwide.”

At the same time, with the diversity of textbook series, the requirement to compile materials that align with the comprehensive general education curriculum from grades 1 to 12 is an enormous challenge.

Throughout this journey, the VEPH has always received the companionship and support — in the spirit of sharing both hardship and success — from editors, authors and scientists.

Together, they have overcome countless challenges in their work.

The authors of the textbook series have worked tirelessly, often staying up late and even sleeping overnight at the publishing house to meet review deadlines. Some had to set aside illness and pain to continue discussions with the Review Council to finalise manuscripts, Quỳnh said.

This journey also witnessed long, arduous trips, as authors willingly travelled hundreds of kilometres to remote districts and communes, bringing the new books directly to teachers and education administrators, helping them understand and apply the textbooks effectively in their teaching.

In addition, the VEPH organised numerous training and introduction sessions for teachers and education officials.

Although the initial transition to new teaching methods was challenging, thanks to active teacher participation and thorough training, the implementation and use of the new textbooks gradually became smoother.

“After receiving specific guidance, teachers were able to use the new textbooks effectively, adopting more active teaching methods and helping pupils creatively apply knowledge,” Quỳnh said.

“We were deeply moved by the authors’ passion, diligence, and careful choice of every word and image in each page — all with the desire to offer pupils the most engaging and meaningful lessons.” 

The 2018 General Education Programme marked a breakthrough in changing approaches to teaching and learning. It is a systematic and comprehensive educational framework spanning from grades 1 to 12.

The overarching goal of the programme is to develop learners’ competencies, enabling pupils not only to master knowledge but also to build essential life skills.

Therefore, textbook compilation is no longer limited to the mere delivery of knowledge — it must also integrate elements that foster capacity development, life skills, problem-solving, and creative thinking.

Hồ Ngọc Khải, chief editor of the music textbook series in the Chân trời sáng tạo (Creative Horizons) collection for grades 1 through 12, said that the compilation process brought him and his colleagues many valuable lessons, particularly in scientific rigour, teamwork, kindness, and dedication.

According to the editor, the greatest change in the music curriculum under the 2018 Programme was its expansion from grades 1 to 12 (previously only applied from grades 1 to 9).

This shift required the writing team to work harder and research international music curricula carefully to adapt them appropriately to Việt Nam’s educational context, he said.

Regarding teaching methods, Khải explained that the music programme focuses mainly on practice and skill-building rather than theory.

The team intentionally included only a suitable amount of theoretical content, aiming to help pupils experience and understand theory through practice, instead of being overwhelmed with abstract concepts.

With a clear goal of developing pupil competencies, the new textbook series by VEPH not only provides fundamental knowledge but also encourages pupils to cultivate personal qualities, life skills, and problem-solving abilities.

The integration of practical knowledge and hands-on elements in the textbooks clearly reflects this educational reform.

In other words, these new textbooks not only meet the requirements of the 2018 General Education Programme but also align with global educational trends — where pupils need not only knowledge but also the ability to apply it and develop the essential skills required in the 21st century. VNS