Addressing shortcomings in job positions in specialized fields.

Practical experience in the operation of the two-tiered local government system shows that in some specific and specialized fields, there is a shortage of job positions or unclear job descriptions. This leads to sluggish, superficial operations and low efficiency in some areas.

Officials at the Public Administrative Service Center of Quang Uyen commune, Cao Bang province, performing their duties. (Photo: THUY ANH)

There are policies in place, but a lack of people to implement them.

National Assembly representative Do Duc Hong Ha ( Hanoi delegation) cited an example: After the merger of agencies and localities, the staff working on gender equality has undergone significant changes, with most being new personnel holding dual roles, frequently rotated, lacking stability and practical experience. Therefore, there is a vicious cycle of appointing staff with dual roles, training, rotating, merging agencies, and then training new personnel from scratch. This "disruption" causes policies implemented from the central level to be lost or implemented superficially at the grassroots level; the integration of tasks for staff with dual roles is inadvertently blurring the responsibilities of specialized personnel.

Following the merger of agencies and localities, the staff working on gender equality has experienced significant changes, with most being new personnel holding dual roles, frequently rotated, lacking stability, and lacking practical experience. Therefore, there is a vicious cycle of appointing staff with dual responsibilities, training, rotating, merging agencies, and then training new personnel from scratch. This "disruption" causes policies implemented from the central level to be lost or only superficially implemented at the grassroots level; the integration of tasks for staff with dual responsibilities is inadvertently blurring the role of specialized personnel.

National Assembly representative Do Duc Hong Ha (Hanoi City delegation)

The aforementioned situation exacerbates challenges that not only affect women and girls but also hinder the sustainable development of the country. National Assembly representative Chamaléa Thị Thủy (Khánh Hòa delegation) reflected that domestic violence, gender-based violence, and human trafficking remain pressing issues. Many victims do not dare to speak out, enduring gender-based violence in silence or not knowing where to seek help. Support services such as psychological counseling, legal assistance, and medical care, due to various obstacles, remain difficult to reach all people, especially in remote areas with extremely difficult geographical conditions.

In some mountainous provinces, the rate of early marriage and childbirth among girls remains high. This disrupts their education and job prospects, putting them at risk of poverty and generational inequality.

Delegates proposed amending and supplementing the Law on Gender Equality in 2026 to address shortcomings and align with the two-tiered local government model. In the meantime, the Ministry of Interior needs to urgently review and clearly define specialized job positions or specific job descriptions with mandatory time allocations for gender equality work, and add solutions to build mechanisms for retaining staff.

Another issue that has received many recommendations is the need for decentralization and delegation of authority between the provincial and commune levels to be in line with practical realities, especially for specialized and unique units. National Assembly representative Le Thi Thanh Xuan (Dak Lak delegation) pointed out the reality in her locality, where the management of ethnic minority boarding secondary schools and multi-level boarding schools has been decentralized to the commune-level government; however, the advisory and management work has not met the requirements because the commune's culture and social affairs department only has one specialist who is simultaneously performing tasks related to seven departments and agencies.

Arrangement of non-professional staff

In Resolution No. 122, from the regular Government meeting in April 2026, the Government requested the urgent completion of the reorganization of residential areas, villages, hamlets, and public service units in accordance with the directives and guidelines of the Central Government.

National Assembly representative Nguyen Dang An (Lang Son delegation) pointed out that Lang Son currently has urban blocks covering an area of ​​6.44 ^km² but only 75 households. If mergers continue, the area of ​​an urban block could increase to over 10 ^km² , while transportation and information technology infrastructure is not yet adequate, making it very difficult for village secretaries, heads of hamlets, and heads of residential groups to oversee the work. The urgent issuance of regulations on the operation of villages and residential groups is an important basis for localities to promptly advise on matters of restructuring, streamlining, and policies for part-time officials…

For example, nearly a year ago, provinces approved the list of part-time workers retiring under Decree No. 154/2025/ND-CP (dated June 15, 2025), but now the Government allows localities with available positions and qualified personnel to directly recruit them into commune-level civil servant positions. If the local Party committee, government, and people agree, they can be assigned to part-time positions in villages or residential areas, or continue to be addressed according to current policies to ensure a complete resolution by May 31, 2026.

However, to date, there is still no framework outlining how to allocate these nearly 60,000 people given the limited job positions and the relatively complete range of non-specialized roles at the village and neighborhood levels. Therefore, if localities implement the plan without a consistent principle, shortcomings and negative consequences may arise. Many National Assembly representatives have urged the prompt issuance of regulations and principles on recruitment mechanisms that are flexible and proactive, yet consistent, and furthermore, the urgent development of training and development plans to ensure this workforce operates effectively and adapts quickly to the new development phase.

Vinh Khang

Source: https://nhandan.vn/khac-phuc-bat-cap-ve-vi-tri-viec-lam-trong-cac-linh-vuc-dac-thu-post963930.html