Need for transparency and consistency

Simplicity is a driving force, but it must be done in a humane way.

Regarding the policy of downsizing the workforce, teacher Phan Thế Hoài, who teaches literature in Bình Tân District (Ho Chi Minh City), commented: "Gender downsizing is a correct, good, and practical policy in the context of the education sector implementing the 2018 General Education Program. Because now teachers not only need to be proficient in their subject matter and pedagogical skills but also must demonstrate other abilities and skills to meet the new situation."

According to this teacher, every profession has its own "elimination" cycle, and downsizing is naturally a positive step; excellence is the driving force behind change. In private schools, hiring and terminating contracts when teachers are unsuitable, do not meet professional and technical requirements, or are not trusted is normal. Meanwhile, in public schools, the belief that state employment is lifelong leads some teachers to feel that they are too old and unwilling to adapt…

Streamlining staffing also serves as an impetus for teacher training colleges to innovate in training, enabling teachers to teach multiple subjects in an integrated, interdisciplinary approach, and to develop diverse skills and professional expertise.

Therefore, according to Mr. Hoai, specific criteria are needed to quantify teachers' abilities and ensure transparency so that teachers are convinced and accept the process. Failure to do so will negate the meaning of this excellent policy.

Similarly, a chemistry teacher in District 11 (Ho Chi Minh City) believes that, from a positive perspective, downsizing the workforce is also a driving force for teacher training colleges to innovate their training processes, enabling teachers to teach multiple subjects in an integrated, interdisciplinary manner, with diverse skills and professional expertise, while maintaining a readiness for innovation and continuously improving their professional skills to meet and exceed standards.

"Teachers must also be aware of the current situation regarding job demands and career needs in education to adapt to interdisciplinary integrated teaching, and especially must always strive to improve their professional skills, pedagogical expertise, and teaching ethics. Only then can they maintain stable employment," this teacher commented.

According to this teacher, education is a unique sector, so implementing staff reduction is not a simple matter and cannot be calculated mechanically. Reduction must be based on principles that reflect a humane and meaningful spirit, avoiding the situation of "squeezing the lemon and then discarding the peel."

STREAMLINING PLAN: MERGERS, ROTATION

In order for the policy of streamlining staffing to help improve the quality of the teaching staff, in line with the autonomy mechanism, according to the assessment of educational institution managers, each school and each locality should develop a plan that suits its actual situation.

In the education sector, streamlining the school system is also a method being implemented by localities. According to the Head of the Education and Training Department of District 7 (Ho Chi Minh City), using the model of merging small, scattered schools to streamline the system, the district has so far merged 4 kindergartens into 2 and 6 primary schools into 3.

Based on the number of classes in each school and ensuring that each ward has one primary school, the district will select suitable schools for merger, combining smaller, scattered schools into one large school. The surplus staff will be transferred to suitable positions or to schools that are currently understaffed.

The head of the District 7 Department of Education and Training stated that before the merger, the district leadership clearly and frankly communicated with the staff, teachers, and employees to ensure their understanding, while also listening to their concerns and aspirations. Simultaneously, they ensured the rights of teachers affected by the downsizing and appropriately arranged and rotated personnel to fill positions after the downsizing.

In line with the plan to streamline staffing for the period 2023-2026, this school year the district will not recruit education staff in the second round, but will instead plan to rotate staff from areas with surplus to areas with shortages according to the job position scheme.

For example, the district is currently building Le Van Tam Primary School according to the model of an advanced school, integrating regionally and internationally, so there may be a surplus of teachers due to limitations on class sizes and number of classrooms. Therefore, the district will implement a teacher rotation program from this school to schools with shortages.

In an interdisciplinary integrated lesson

In District 6 (Ho Chi Minh City), Mr. Luu Hong Uyen, Head of the Education and Training Department, stated that the main focus is on streamlining the workforce. Currently, recruitment is being carried out for positions that are still vacant but are included in the regulations. For surplus positions, arrangements are being made for employees to register for training to transition to positions included in the list. Alternatively, plans are being developed to send teachers who do not meet the required standards to pursue further education to meet the qualification standards stipulated in the 2019 Education Law. Only teachers who do not meet the standards but are older and unable to attend training will be included in the downsizing plan.

In addition, the District 6 Department of Education and Training is reviewing the teaching staff in schools to understand the specific situation of surplus teachers. For example, if School A has a surplus of 2 literature teachers but School B plans to recruit, the Department will work with both schools on a teacher transfer plan. Afterward, they will advise the district to issue a decision.

Sharing his views on the policy of downsizing the workforce in public high schools, Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu, Principal of Bui Thi Xuan High School (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City), said that in most high schools today, recruitment is not within the authority of the principal but is carried out by a higher management agency, except for a few specialized schools that are granted autonomy in recruiting teachers, such as specialized schools and advanced schools. Therefore, to implement the workforce downsizing policy, the Department of Education and Training needs to review personnel in all school units and transfer teachers from one school to another if there is a localized surplus or shortage of teachers.

Follow the principle of "where there are students, there must be a teacher in the classroom".

On February 12th, the Ministry of Education and Training responded to voters' opinions submitted before the 6th session of the 15th National Assembly regarding the decision not to reduce the number of teachers according to the general ratio because education has its own unique characteristics.

Accordingly, voters in some localities requested the Ministry of Education and Training to coordinate with the Ministry of Interior to report to the Government on supplementing the annual teacher staffing quota to meet practical requirements; at the same time, ensuring the teacher-to-class ratio and not implementing staff reductions according to the general ratio because education has its own unique characteristics.

In response to this, the Ministry of Education and Training clarified that, in fulfilling its task of reviewing and proposing to the Central Committee the allocation of additional teacher positions for the 2023-2024 school year according to Decision 72 of the Central Committee on the staffing of Party agencies, the Fatherland Front, political organizations at the central level, provincial Party committees, city Party committees, and Party committees of blocs directly under the Central Committee for the period 2022-2026, the Ministry has coordinated with the Ministry of Interior to issue documents requesting localities to review and propose additional teacher positions for the 2023-2024 school year.

Currently, the Ministry, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, has completed the review report and proposed plan for supplementing teacher staffing for localities in the 2023-2024 school year, and has submitted it to the competent central agencies for consideration and approval.

The Ministry of Education and Training also emphasized that streamlining the workforce is a major policy of the Party and the State. To implement this policy, localities need a roadmap and flexible solutions that are appropriate to their actual conditions, ensuring a reduction in the number of people receiving salaries from the state budget and implementing the principle of "where there are students, there must be teachers in the classroom" in a suitable manner.

In its response to voters, the Ministry of Education and Training also stated that it has been and continues to coordinate with the Ministry of Interior to conduct research and advise the Government and relevant central agencies on guiding the implementation of personnel reduction in the education sector in accordance with the actual conditions of different regions and localities.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/tinh-gian-bien-che-giao-vien-can-su-minh-bach-va-phu-hop-18524022718534628.htm