The most important, brilliant, and enduring element of the Educational Technology (CGD/Thực Nghiệm) program is not its textbooks. The core value lies in its educational philosophy. It is no coincidence that those who experienced the CGD/Experimental program are fiercely devoted to it whenever it comes under attack.
In my view, the fundamental tenets of the CGD/Experimental philosophy were decades ahead of Vietnamese society and remain perfectly aligned with modern, progressive education.
The nine tenets of progressive education
The philosophy, at its heart, is a comprehensive blueprint for student-centric learning:
- Joyful learning: School must be a source of happiness (The motto: “Mỗi ngày đến trường náo nức một ngày vui” – Every day to school is a day of eager joy).
- No imposition: Teachers must not impose their views on students. (A teacher’s praise should be based on student merit, not personal bias.)
- Alternative approaches: Students are taught diverse approaches to concepts (e.g., learning the binary system before the decimal system).
- Early literacy: Students are encouraged to read classic literature early (e.g., The Tale of Kieu, Hugo, Balzac).
- Encouraging Difference: Students are encouraged to think differently and pursue individual passions. (Being happy fixing a screw is better than being a doctor consumed by depression).
- Experiential learning: Students learn by doing and experiencing, rather than rote memorization (e.g., taking the role of the antagonist in a play to understand the villain’s inner perspective).
- School-sufficient learning: Students should learn enough in school to minimize homework. (The founder, Mr. Đại, insisted that parents cannot teach the CGD method at home, so learning must be completed at school).
- No grading or ranking (Primary level): The system strictly abolishes numerical grades and student ranking in primary school—a highly progressive stance that remains debated even today.
These principles constitute the liberal arts education pursued by prestigious universities and international schools worldwide. While institutions like Broward College or Fulbright in Vietnam boast about teaching liberal arts now, Vietnam was practicing these core tenets 40 years ago.
The misguided debate and the way forward
If the CGD/Experimental textbook series is rejected, does the model itself die? Absolutely not. The model—the philosophy—will persist and continue to thrive. Who would not want their child to be educated under such a philosophy? That philosophy is destined to become the mainstream of modern education.
However, the current controversy risks focusing on the wrong target. I lean toward the view, shared by the National Assessment Council, that after 40 years, the textbook—both its Math and Vietnamese sections—undoubtedly requires significant revisions and updates. No matter how beloved the old curriculum is, a 40-year-old book without detailed revision and instruction cannot be automatically approved.
(An interesting note: The founders, while perhaps being conservative about making revisions themselves, generously waived copyright protection. This allows us to make necessary updates without legal issue.)
I firmly believe that these necessary revisions would not be time-consuming, and I would be willing to invest resources to overhaul the textbooks. The program’s supporters have no need to worry; I trust the National Assessment Council to be impartial in re-evaluating the updated materials.
The debate over the Educational Technology (CGD) program should never be about the textbook; it must be a struggle to integrate the philosophy—its humane and liberal arts spirit—into the educational mainstream.
