To make up for lighter textbook content as required by the education ministry, many schools in Hanoi are now forcing students to take after-school classes.

After the Ministry of Education issued guidelines on lightening the contents of textbooks in response to public complaints, parents in Hanoi say their children have just gotten out of the frying pan into the fire.

Sixth- and seventh-graders at Den Lu Middle School in Hoang Mai District for instance have had to attend after-school classes in literature, math, English, biology, history, and physics since the new school year began early this month.

“I thought my kid was relieved from the academic burden following the ministry’s guidelines,” said the mother of a 6th grader at this school. “I was wrong.”

Another mother of a 6th grader at Trung Vuong Middle School in Hoan Kiem District complained that she had no choice but to send her child to after-school classes as her child is given 32 math assignments a week, which are too many for him to handle alone without an instructor.

Another parent of a student at Dong Da Middle School in Dong Da District said her kid’s teacher often give tips to students in extra-time classes so it would be a disadvantage not to take these classes.

Students at Hoang Liet Middle School in Hoang Mai District are also taking extra afternoon classes in math, literature, and English throughout the week.

Some teachers even ask parents to send their children to evening classes at their houses.