Salary and benefits policy for teachers

There needs to be a really good incentive system for teachers so they can work with peace of mind. Photo: Xuan Le.

According to a report by the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), the results of evaluating and summarizing the implementation of laws on teachers over the past years show that the regulations and policies for teachers, such as salaries, allowances, benefits, incentives, and social recognition, are not truly commensurate with the status and role of teachers. Teachers' lives remain difficult; they cannot yet make a living from their profession, and their salaries are not truly the main source of income to ensure their livelihoods, especially for young teachers and preschool teachers.

The Ministry of Education and Training stated its view that teachers have not received the attention and protection they deserve from society, leading to many regrettable incidents regarding the way society, parents, and students treat teachers. This results in teachers feeling insecure in their work, with a significant number of teachers, especially young teachers, quitting or changing jobs. Furthermore, this is a reason why the teaching profession is not attracting talented individuals, and many localities and educational institutions lack the recruitment pool to fill the teacher shortage and meet the requirements of educational and training programs.

Recent statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training show that from August 2023 to April 2024, 7,215 teachers nationwide resigned or changed jobs, notably with a high percentage of teachers under 35 years old leaving their jobs. The reasons for this situation are inadequate working conditions and insufficient remuneration and policies for teachers.

Teachers' salaries remain low compared to the general average of other professions, failing to meet the objectives set out in Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam "On fundamental and comprehensive reform of education and training to meet the requirements of industrialization and modernization in the context of a socialist-oriented market economy and international integration." Salaries and benefits have not yet created sufficient motivation in the context of increasing work pressure on teachers.

According to Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong, a new feature in the drafting of the Law on Teachers this time lies in the regulation of salary and benefits policies for teachers, aiming to concretize the Party's policy in Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW, which states that "teachers' salaries shall be prioritized and ranked highest in the salary scale according to job position, title, and leadership position as prescribed by the Government." Accordingly, the draft stipulates that teachers' salaries shall be ranked highest in the administrative and public service salary scale system and shall receive professional incentive allowances and other allowances depending on the nature of the work and region as prescribed by law.

At the same time, it helps teachers feel secure in their work, dedicate themselves, and develop their careers; attracts, values, and rewards talented individuals in the teaching profession; and encourages teachers to work and stay in the education sector for the long term, especially in disadvantaged areas.

The draft Law stipulates that the salaries and salary-related policies of teachers working in private and public educational institutions with autonomous recurrent expenditures, and public educational institutions with autonomous recurrent and investment expenditures, shall not be less than the salaries and salary-related policies of teachers with the same level of training, seniority, and position in public educational institutions currently receiving salaries from the state budget, as stipulated in this Law. At the same time, to ensure that teachers continue to receive seniority allowances until the State issues new guidelines on salary policies, the draft Law includes a transitional provision: "Teachers shall continue to receive seniority allowances until the new salary policy is implemented."

In fact, the issue of "teacher salaries" is not a new topic of discussion; it has been mentioned many times in meetings on salary reform. However, the issue being raised is that, effective from July 1, 2024, the basic salary was increased by 30%, from 1.8 million VND per month to 2.34 million VND per month.

So, is it reasonable and appropriate in the current context for the Law on Teachers to propose that "teachers' salaries be ranked highest in the administrative and public service salary scale and they are entitled to professional incentive allowances and other allowances depending on the nature of their work and the region as prescribed by law"?

Notably, the very body responsible for reviewing the draft law, the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education, expressed the view that: The Standing Committee agrees that a salary policy for teachers is necessary to motivate them to work with peace of mind and attract talented students to the teaching profession. However, the institutionalization of this policy needs to be consistent with the context of salary reform, avoiding the interpretation that there will be a separate salary scale or table specifically for teachers.

“The Standing Committee believes that there is a need for policies to support and attract teachers. However, it is necessary to assess the impact, identify the target group of teachers who will benefit, and ensure the resources for implementing the policies,” said Mr. Nguyen Dac Vinh, Chairman of the Committee on Culture, Education and Information.

Regarding the above issue, Dr. Nguyen Tung Lam - Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Educational Psychology - stated that the draft Law on Teachers, which regulates teachers' salaries, is based on Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW of 2013 of the Central Committee. Conclusion 91 of the Politburo also clearly states the continued implementation of Resolution 29. Resolution 29 was issued 11 years ago but has not yet been implemented, even though it is a Party resolution. Especially since the Party's strategy and tactics have emphasized education as a top national priority. Therefore, we must create an attractive environment to attract talented teachers so they can feel secure in their work in education.

“Our country is entering a new era, a new opportunity, and human resources are the decisive factor. Currently, our high-quality human resources are still insufficient, from university to high school. We must address the issue of whether the country wants to ‘take off,’ and that high quality is determined by education. Therefore, we must have a truly good incentive mechanism for teachers so they can work with peace of mind. That’s why teachers’ salaries are ranked highest in the administrative and public service salary scale,” Mr. Lam stated.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/chinh-sach-tien-luong-dai-ngo-doi-voi-nha-giao-10291519.html