Not only is the Circular a document regulating salary payments, it is considered an important change to the economic life and professional psychology of millions of teachers across the country.
Legal basis for receiving adequate remuneration
Ms. Tran Thi Hang - Principal of Doan Ket Primary Boarding School for Ethnic Minorities (Phong Tho Commune, Lai Chau ) said that the most notable new point is the regulation on paying overtime for all teachers whose teaching workload exceeds the norm, instead of only paying in cases where the unit lacks teachers as before.
This means that many teachers who previously taught extra classes but were not paid now have a clear legal basis to receive appropriate remuneration. The payment rate of 150% for each extra class is also considered more appropriate to the effort and pressure that teachers put in when having to take on extra classes and extra lessons.
“With incomes already at a modest level, especially in disadvantaged areas, the extra teaching fee is considered a practical source of support to help teachers improve their lives. This change helps teachers be more proactive in family spending, reducing financial pressure, especially in the context of increasing living costs,” said Ms. Hang.
Mr. Bui Van Phi - Principal of Nam Cha Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities (Muong Mo Commune, Lai Chau) commented that Circular 21 is an important step forward in improving the regime for public teachers.
This policy opens up new expectations: Creating more sustainable income, reducing occupational pressure, and contributing to retaining the teaching staff - the core resource of the education sector. The Circular also sets a maximum limit of 200 periods/year for each teacher, to ensure that there is no situation of teaching too much to chase income. This limit is considered reasonable by experts, both helping to protect the health of teachers and creating a balance in the division of work among teachers in a school.
Mr. Phi also said that Nam Cha Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities is currently short of 7 teachers according to the assigned staff. Based on the 2025-2026 school year plan and the actual situation of the school's staff, due to the lack of teachers in a number of subjects: Literature, Math, English, Natural Sciences, Art, Physical Education, and Information Technology, the school must assign existing teachers to take on more classes than the prescribed quota.
Through synthesis, there are up to 13 teachers who have to teach more than 200 periods/school year to ensure uninterrupted teaching activities and ensure full implementation of the educational program.
“The fact that teachers have to teach overtime puts a lot of pressure on their health, time and affects the professional quality of the team. At the same time, the amount of overtime hours incurred is subject to consideration for payment according to current regulations of the State. The school has sent a notice to the Department of Culture and Social Affairs of the Muong Mo Commune People's Committee to grasp the situation and serve as a basis for consideration, coordination and proposal of steps to resolve the regime according to authority,” Mr. Bui Van Phi shared.
From the perspective of a teacher, Mr. Thach Sa Quyen - teacher at Cau Ngang A High School (Vinh Long), Circular 21 has many new points that are suitable for teaching practice. These regulations ensure that teachers do not work too hard, have time to rest to restore their labor force, and are in accordance with the Labor Code.
In particular, the Circular clearly stipulates the responsibility for paying extra teaching salaries for teachers on secondment and inter-school teaching, as well as the time of payment. Specifically, the extra teaching salary of secondment teachers is paid by the educational institution where the teacher is on secondment, and inter-school teachers are paid by the educational institution where the teacher is on inter-school teaching. “These regulations help to be transparent, consistent with reality and ensure the rights of teachers,” said Mr. Quen.
Encourage the spirit of dedication
The Ministry of Education and Training issued Circular 21 with new regulations on overtime pay for teachers, creating a positive signal and expected to become a strong financial motivation, increasing income and encouraging the teaching staff.
With 40 years of dedication to the education career from the time he was a Math teacher, directly teaching many generations of students, to the time he took on management duties, Meritorious Teacher Nguyen Van Ngai - Former Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City always had special concerns for the life and working motivation of public teachers. Therefore, when Circular 21 was issued, regulating the payment of overtime teaching wages under the new regime, he saw this as an important opportunity.
One of the most obvious positive points of Circular 21 is the increase in the payment for extra teaching, with each extra teaching period being paid 1.5 times the salary for a regular teaching period. This is a significant additional source of income, especially for public teachers in schools with high demand, or in urban areas where the pressure of living costs is higher.
From his own experience as a teacher, Mr. Ngai said that the official salary sometimes has to be very frugal to cover family expenses. Therefore, if Circular 21 is well implemented, it can help teachers feel more secure financially, reduce economic burden and increase motivation to participate in extra teaching to support students or make up for income.
In addition, Circular 21 sets clear rules: both the salary formula, the limit on the number of extra teaching hours (no more than 200 hours/school year) and the time of payment. Such clarity helps to reduce disputes and ambiguity in the allocation of extra teaching hours and salary calculation, which many teachers and school principals have long been concerned about.
This mechanism also creates more fairness among teachers: Those who teach more, those who take on difficult classes, and those who volunteer to teach extra classes will be compensated clearly according to a standard formula. This can encourage the spirit of dedication and creativity in teaching, teachers not only teach extra classes to "earn more", but can also invest in remedial classes, advanced review classes, or support classes for weak students.
Teacher Nguyen Van Ngai said that although the salary of 1.5 times for each extra teaching period is a clear step forward, helping teachers increase their income and create motivation to work, this mechanism also needs to be managed properly to avoid potential consequences.
Circular 21 not only opens up opportunities to increase income and improve teachers' lives, but also requires reasonable management to balance income, health and teaching quality. When implemented seriously, this mechanism will become a positive lever, encouraging teachers to improve their professional capacity, while ensuring fairness between schools and regions, contributing to strengthening the overall quality of education.
“Circular 21 is a significant step forward for the education sector in respecting and encouraging the teaching profession, especially for teachers who teach extra classes and teach overtime but have not been adequately compensated. If implemented seriously and transparently, this Circular can help teachers feel more secure, contribute more, and improve motivation and the quality of education.
However, like any policy, its actual effectiveness will depend largely on how the school implements it, how it manages it, and how it is supported by the education management agency. Hopefully, Circular 21 will contribute to developing a sustainable, fair, and humane educational environment where every public teacher is respected and has the opportunity to live a better life, contribute more to education, and pass it on to the younger generation,” teacher Nguyen Van Ngai hopes.
Similarly, Mr. Nguyen Phuc Vien - Principal of Cho Gao High School (Dong Thap) expressed strong agreement with improving the salary regime in a way that benefits workers. The new circular stipulates that each teacher is not allowed to teach more than 200 extra lessons per school year, and according to Mr. Vien, this is a reasonable level.
“With the current workload, in the context of digital transformation, the regulation of a maximum of 200 extra teaching periods helps teachers have time to prepare lessons, improve the quality of teaching methods, and at the same time avoid overloading and affecting their health,” Mr. Vien shared.
Mr. Vien also emphasized that the new Circular adds specific regulations on conditions and formulas for calculating salaries for extra teaching, ensuring that teachers receive appropriate remuneration when teaching overtime, avoiding the situation of working overtime but not being paid or being paid inadequately. “When benefits are guaranteed, teachers will be motivated to contribute more to teaching, especially in the context of teacher shortage or high demand for extra classes from students,” Mr. Vien said.
Mr. Tran Trong Dang - Math teacher, Nam Cha Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities shared: "According to the school year plan, I have to teach 285 additional periods, exceeding the maximum 200 periods paid according to Circular 21. There are no specific instructions for the remaining 85 periods, making teachers worried that their rights are not guaranteed. I hope that the payment mechanism will be transparent, protecting the rights of teachers, especially in the context of teacher shortage, so that they can feel secure in their dedication and maintain the quality of teaching for students."
Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/co-hoi-cai-thien-thu-nhap-nang-cao-doi-song-giao-vien-post758098.html
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