Proposal to pay for second-session teaching for primary school teachers in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City – According to the new program, primary school teachers have to teach two sessions a day, double the previous number, so the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee has proposed that the city provide financial support for teaching the second session.

Following a field survey in Go Vap District, Binh Chanh District, and Thu Duc City in early October, the Standing Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City proposed to the City People's Committee a special regime and policies for teachers. The reason is that the current income of teachers is still low, failing to attract teachers to commit to the profession, especially at the preschool and primary school levels.

Specifically for primary schools, this agency recommends that the city consider a special mechanism to pay for afternoon teaching sessions for teachers in grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 (the four grades currently implementing the new general education program). Currently, this amount is not allocated in the budget, and Resolution 04 of the City People's Council on education revenue and expenditure only allows schools to collect fees for afternoon teaching sessions from students in grade 5 and above.

Teachers and students at Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School, Thu Duc City, during a lesson on September 5th. Photo: Quynh Tran — Teachers and students at Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School, Thu Duc City, during a lesson on September 5th. Photo: *Quynh Tran*

Previously, if schools taught two sessions a day, they were allowed to collect fees for the second session to pay teachers' salaries. In Ho Chi Minh City, this fee varied by district, averaging around 100,000-150,000 VND per month. However, according to the new General Education Program (2018 program), primary school students are automatically enrolled in two sessions a day. Since the implementation of the new program (in 2020), many schools still have to teach two sessions but are not allowed to collect fees. Currently, about 80% of primary schools in Ho Chi Minh City teach two sessions a day. The remaining schools have not been able to implement this due to a shortage of classrooms.

"Teaching two sessions means double the workload and is very tiring, but the lack of financial support for the second session is causing many teachers to feel disheartened," shared Ms. Tran Thi Thu Huong, Principal of Dinh Tien Hoang Primary School, District 1.

Therefore, Ho Chi Minh City has repeatedly proposed to the National Assembly and the Government a policy to pay teachers for the second shift. During a meeting with the National Assembly's supervisory delegation in March, Mr. Duong Anh Duc, Vice Chairman of the city, reiterated this proposal.

Ho Chi Minh City currently has the most support policies for teachers in the country. In addition to their salary, teachers receive supplementary income according to resolutions of the City People's Council, up to a maximum of 1.8 times their salary based on rank and position. Therefore, teachers in Ho Chi Minh City can earn between 6.8 and 22 million VND per month, while the national average for teachers is between 3.8 and 12.2 million VND.

Newly graduated preschool teachers in Ho Chi Minh City receive a monthly allowance of nearly 3 million VND, with this rate being 70% and 50% for the following two years.

Nguyen Le

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