What are the conditions for a principal to recruit teachers?

Information that principals of qualified educational institutions can be given the right to recruit teachers when decentralized by the Provincial People's Committee and chaired by the Department of Education and Training is attracting the attention of school leaders.

According to the draft of the Ministry of Education and Training recently announced regulations on the authority to recruit teachers, educational institutions that meet the conditions can submit a request to the Department of Education and Training for appraisal, submit it to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for decentralization of recruitment; evidence demonstrating the fulfillment of recruitment conditions; draft recruitment plan. Within only 5 working days from the date of receiving the request dossier of the educational institution, the Department of Education and Training will appraise and advise the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to decentralize recruitment. In the opposite case, the Department of Education and Training must have a written response to the educational institution.

P APPROPRIATE, NECESSARY BUT CAREFUL STEP BY STEP

Referring to this draft, Mr. Nguyen Van Ngai, former Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, said that previously, from preschool to junior high school, the recruitment of teachers was carried out by the People's Committees of districts; and the Department of Education and Training was responsible for recruiting high schools. Up to this year, the first year of operating a two-level government, the recruitment of teachers from preschool to senior high school was carried out by the Department of Education and Training in the entire industry. Therefore, Mr. Ngai said that decentralizing the recruitment of teachers to principals for facilities in accordance with the two-level government operation process is necessary but must be done carefully and step by step.

Many opinions say that decentralizing teacher recruitment to principals must be done carefully and step by step.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

"This will help principals be more proactive in recruiting teachers who are suitable for the school's needs. However, there should be specific regulations, criteria and procedures to ensure transparency and efficiency in the recruitment process," Mr. Ngai said.

PERSONNEL AUTONOMY IS THE FIRST STEP

The vice principal of a high school in Thu Duc Ward (HCMC) said that each school has different strategies, development plans and characteristics. When being autonomous in recruiting personnel, school leaders have long-term plans as well as being proactive in arranging and organizing activities in the school.

Schools have piloted decentralized teacher recruitment in Ho Chi Minh City.

Up to now, the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City has piloted decentralized recruitment for 29 public schools, including 2 kindergartens: 19/5 Kindergarten and City Kindergarten; 2 specialized high schools: Le Hong Phong, Tran Dai Nghia; 1 middle school - high school: Thanh An Middle School - High School; high schools including: Nguyen Thuong Hien, Nguyen Dinh Chieu Special High School, Nguyen Du, Le Quy Don, Nguyen Hien, An Nghia, Binh Khanh, Can Thanh, An Nhon Tay, Cu Chi, Phu Hoa, Trung Lap, Quang Trung High School, Tan Thong Hoi, Trung Phu, Nguyen Van Tang, Nam Sai Gon.

In addition, there are also gifted and specialized schools such as: Binh Chanh Gifted Sports School; Le Thi Hong Gam Center for General Technical Education and Career Guidance; Center for Supporting the Development of Inclusive Education for the Disabled; Binh Chanh Center for Supporting the Development of Inclusive Education; Tan Binh District Center for Supporting the Development of Inclusive Education... Besides, there are also District 12 Economic - Technical College (old) and Ho Chi Minh City Polytechnic College.

Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu, Principal of Bui Thi Xuan High School (Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), said that no one else but the principal is the one who understands best who his unit needs, what it lacks, where it is strong and where it is weak. According to Mr. Phu, each school has its own educational philosophy, culture and needs. Some schools focus on research, some schools are practice-oriented, some schools promote soft skills and experience. When principals are empowered to recruit people, they can build a team that fits the school's vision and identity.

"A modern education system cannot develop if the school is just a unit that carries out targets. Personnel autonomy is the first step towards program autonomy, financial autonomy and quality autonomy. Allowing principals the right to recruit helps them shape the unique character of the unit, thereby creating diversity, flexibility and dynamism in the national education system," Mr. Phu emphasized.

NEED A PROCESS TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY

In Ho Chi Minh City, from the 2022-2023 school year, the Department of Education and Training has piloted the decentralization of teacher recruitment for 2 specialized high schools and 2 affiliated kindergartens. Then, in the following school years, the department continued to expand the pilot to 3 high schools implementing the advanced school model, international integration and high schools in the former Can Gio and Cu Chi districts...

Referring to the pilot decentralization of recruitment for units that the Department of Education and Training has implemented, Mr. Ho Tan Minh, Chief of Office of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, said the purpose is to attract and develop local resources; at the same time, solve difficulties for schools far from the city center, with few candidates registering for recruitment or having been recruited but not coming to take up their positions. These units must develop recruitment plans, follow the correct recruitment process under the supervision of the department to ensure the effectiveness of human resource quality.

According to the Department of Education and Training, the decentralization of recruitment has helped units proactively seek recruitment resources. Before the decentralization, the department had conducted statistics for many years and showed that many candidates who passed the civil service exam were assigned by the department to work at schools in suburban areas but did not come to work; or some candidates left their jobs immediately after that because their residence was too far from the assigned unit. When the school organized the recruitment, from the beginning, candidates had to learn about the school, had to have the desire and desire to work at the school before registering; thereby helping teachers to stay with the school for a long time.

However, Mr. Ho Tan Minh also emphasized that it is necessary to supervise the recruitment work of decentralized units from the beginning to the end of the process to ensure "even" recruitment between schools as well as to ensure the quality of objective, public and transparent recruitment work.

Decentralization of teacher recruitment to principals could begin with a pilot in a few eligible schools before being rolled out more widely.

Photo: Dao Ngoc Thach

Therefore, although expressing support for decentralizing teacher recruitment to educational institutions if conditions are met, many people still believe that solutions are needed to ensure effectiveness and transparency in the implementation process.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Ngai, it is possible to start by piloting in some qualified schools before widely implementing. During the pilot process, there needs to be guidance, supervision and support so that schools can perform well. From there, experience can be drawn and common recruitment processes and criteria for all schools can be developed.

In particular, it is necessary to enhance the responsibility of leaders in recruitment. The principal will be responsible for the quality of the recruited teaching staff. If the quality is not guaranteed, the principal will be held responsible.

Similarly, Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu also acknowledged that delegating power must go hand in hand with fair responsibility. "Delegation of power does not mean loosening control. Delegating recruitment power to the principal must go hand in hand with a strict, transparent and fair monitoring mechanism. Each unit that is delegated power must have a plan, process and an independent recruitment council. All must be public with quotas, standards, records, recruitment forms, interview content, assessment scores and final results. The principal must be responsible before the law if he does wrong or does something negative...", Mr. Phu said.

According to Mr. Phu, a leader with heart and vision will carefully consider each recruitment decision. Because the chosen person is not just a new teacher but also a part of the teaching staff, directly affecting the quality of students and the reputation of the school. When having the right to choose people, the principal will have to be more responsible, because any mistake in personnel will leave immediate and obvious consequences.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dieu-kien-nao-de-hieu-truong-duoc-tuyen-giao-vien-185251020192041847.htm