What are the benefits for teachers who work overtime?

From now on, the calculation of overtime teaching hours for public school teachers will be carried out according to Circular 21 of the Ministry of Education and Training, which regulates the overtime pay and salary for teachers in public educational institutions. Accordingly, the total number of overtime teaching hours in a school year for each teacher to be paid overtime salary shall not exceed 200 hours.

Teachers are concerned about how this regulation differs from previous ones and how it will affect their income.

The calculation of teachers' overtime teaching hours will follow the new regulations.

PHOTO: NHAT THINH

Regulations on the number of extra teaching hours are in place to ensure both work efficiency and teacher health.

Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu, Principal of Bui Thi Xuan High School (Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City), expressed: "Circular 21 brings new hope and comfort to the teaching staff after so many years dedicated to teaching. Previously, the issue of overtime teaching was sometimes unclear, and teachers had to wait or suffer disadvantages when their rights were not guaranteed. Now, the new document clearly states that the effort put into overtime teaching must be calculated transparently and fully, including salary, allowances, and other reasonable benefits. This is fairness and an affirmation that every drop of sweat on the giảng platform deserves recognition."

The principal further explained: The regulation limiting the total number of extra teaching hours per teacher per school year for overtime pay calculation to no more than 200 hours not only protects teachers' health but also reminds the school to appreciate the contributions of each individual. The new circular stipulates that overtime pay for teachers will be paid after the end of the school year. In cases where teachers retire, resign, are transferred, or reassigned, overtime pay will be paid at the time of the retirement, resignation, transfer, or reassignment decision. "This regulation also demonstrates profound humanity; no one is left behind, even if only for a single day in the classroom," the principal stated.

According to principals of secondary schools in Ho Chi Minh City, in reality, the issue of teachers working overtime, even exceeding the regulated 200 hours, has its own specific characteristics at each educational level. For example, at the secondary school level, teachers don't teach extra classes as often as possible, mainly due to situations where a subject department has teachers on maternity leave, retirement, or a shortage of teachers, or where some teachers are both heads of subject departments and homeroom teachers, and also hold other positions such as union member…

At the high school level, if a subject department has teachers on maternity leave or retirement, and hasn't yet recruited new teachers, the number of teachers teaching extra classes beyond the prescribed limit each year depends on the students' subject choices. If, in certain years or schools, the percentage of students choosing science subjects is high, then science teachers may have to teach many extra classes, and vice versa.

What are the rights and benefits of teachers?

Ms. Nguyen Doan Trang, Principal of Tran Van On Secondary School (Tan Dinh Ward), also stated that Circular 21 provides more specific and detailed regulations on teachers' overtime pay by stipulating the number of teaching hours that substitute for teaching hours, taking into account the specific working time of the education sector.

Furthermore, while previously schools relied on the budget allocated for teaching two sessions a day to cover the cost of tutoring, supplementary instruction, and scientific research guidance provided by teachers, this new circular recognizes and counts these as extra teaching hours. This facilitates teacher assignment and ensures teachers receive proper recognition and compensation.

The principal of a primary school in the central area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City said that the formula for calculating overtime pay is the same, but some teachers who hold positions such as subject group leaders, homeroom teachers, union representatives, people's inspectors, or union presidents have had their benefits reduced.

Teachers in Ho Chi Minh City receive training before the start of the new school year.

PHOTO: HANH TRAN

The principal stated that, according to Circular 05 regulating teachers' working hours, which came into effect on April 22nd, homeroom teachers have their mandatory teaching hours reduced by 4, subject heads by 3, and union chairpersons by 4… However, Circular 21 stipulates that teachers who have already received a position allowance cannot convert it into additional teaching hours.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Truc, Principal of Thu Duc High School (Thu Duc Ward), shared that Circular 21 requires school leaders to regulate and balance the budget, calculating and allocating teaching hours appropriately so that teachers do not exceed the prescribed number of extra teaching hours for salary payment and teachers do not lack teaching hours that affect their income…

At the beginning of the school year, based on the number of students registering for elective subjects, the principal calculates that if the average number of teaching hours for a subject exceeds the regulations by 5 hours/week, or by more than 200 hours/year in large numbers, a proposal must be made to recruit additional teachers to ensure the quality of education and the rights of teachers.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/giao-vien-day-them-gio-quyen-loi-ra-sao-185250924235956812.htm