Urgent review for teacher promotion: A flexible mechanism is needed.

The process of evaluating and promoting teachers to higher professional ranks aims to standardize the workforce, improve the quality of education , and ensure the rights and benefits of school administrators, teachers, and staff.

Concerns from the grassroots level

Ms. Le Hong Quang, Principal of Tam Quang Kindergarten (Tam Quang, Nghe An ), stated that unlike general education teachers, kindergarten teachers start at rank IV in the job ranking system. Recently, most teachers at the school have been promoted from rank IV to rank III, but many who meet the criteria have not yet been considered for rank II. According to Ms. Le Hong Quang, with the implementation of a two-tiered local government system and the elimination of the district level, school staff are awaiting new regulations and guidelines. Meanwhile, many teachers are concerned that their evidence and achievements may be overdue for review, potentially leading to disadvantages and missed opportunities for promotion.

Sharing the same concerns, starting in July 2025, Ms. Phan Thi Huyen, a kindergarten teacher in Yen Thanh town and representing the collective of kindergarten teachers in the former Yen Thanh district, submitted a petition to the Nghe An Department of Education and Training regarding the promotion of professional titles from Grade III to Grade II. In her petition, Ms. Huyen stated that she and many other kindergarten teachers in the area were appointed to Grade III teacher positions in 2019.

Since then, despite holding Grade III positions and exceeding the required time, meeting the professional and ethical standards, and completing the training courses for Grade II professional titles, these teachers have not been promoted. This has resulted in their rights not being guaranteed. Ms. Chu Thi Mui, a teacher at Le Loi Kindergarten, representing the collective of kindergarten teachers from Truong Vinh, Vinh Phu, Thanh Vinh, Vinh Hung, Vinh Loc, and Cua Lo wards, also submitted a similar petition in September 2025.

Regarding this issue, Mr. Nguyen The Luc, Deputy Head of the Personnel and Organization Department of the Nghe An Department of Education and Training, said that before July 1, 2025, the organization of the promotion examination for civil servants to professional title rank II, after being approved and allocated quotas by the Provincial People's Committee, falls under the responsibility and authority of the Chairman of the District People's Committee.

Currently, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has issued a document delegating the authority to organize the promotion of teachers to Grade I to the Department of Education and Training; and the promotion of teachers to Grades III and II to the commune level. After being decentralized, the Department of Education and Training has sent a document to schools and the People's Committees of communes/wards to review and report on the current status of professional titles of civil servants (management staff, teachers, and employees).

For wards and communes where the structure of professional job titles does not exceed the ratio stipulated in Circular No. 64/BNV-CCVC of the Ministry of Interior , attention should be paid to organizing the promotion of professional job titles for teachers and staff in public kindergartens and primary and secondary schools in the area according to the decentralization of the Provincial People's Committee and current regulations to ensure the rights of civil servants.

Many kindergarten teachers in Nghe An province, currently in grade III, are awaiting promotion to grade II. (Photo: Ho Lai)

Proactively review and develop proposals.

Following the direction of the Thai Nguyen Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Education and Training, in coordination with the Department of Home Affairs, the People's Committees of communes and wards, and relevant agencies and units, conducted a comprehensive review of teacher promotion. Simultaneously, they guided educational institutions in implementing promotion assessments in accordance with current regulations, ensuring an objective, transparent process and protecting the legitimate rights of teachers.

Mr. Tran Dinh Thin, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Phan Dinh Phung Ward, said: The local authorities have proactively requested schools in the area to update the list, compare the conditions and standards, and send a consolidated report to the Department of Education and Training on time. All teacher documents and conditions are carefully checked to ensure that no qualified candidates are overlooked.

At Tuc Duyen Secondary School, Principal Nguyen Thi Sau stated that for the 2025-2026 school year, after reviewing the school's records, no teachers met the eligibility requirements or needed additional years of service as stipulated. Those who met the criteria had already been considered for promotion in previous rounds.

The issue of controlling the ratio of teachers in each rank is also a concern for many schools. At Nha Trang Primary School (Phan Dinh Phung ward), Principal Nguyen Thi Minh Thu stated that in the 2025-2026 school year, the school will have two teachers who are old enough and eligible for promotion. However, the school's ratio of Grade II teachers has already exceeded 50% as per regulations, meaning that teachers who meet all the standards cannot be considered for promotion this time. “This is a reality that disadvantages teachers, because even those who meet the standards have to wait due to quota limitations. We hope that in the future, the regulations will be adjusted to better suit the actual conditions of schools,” Ms. Thu shared.

In Can Tho City, the Department of Education and Training has issued specific regulations outlining the criteria for consideration, the required supporting documents, and the quotas for promotion. According to the plan, this year's promotion review will focus on two main groups: high school teachers and teachers from vocational training and continuing education centers. The review process emphasizes transparency, objectivity, and adherence to regulations to select educators with outstanding professional competence and substantial contributions to the community.

Specifically, the total number of civil servants eligible for promotion to rank II in 2025 is over 2,200. Of these, at least 5 are at the primary school level, 96 at the lower secondary school level, and the remaining over 2,100 at the upper secondary school level. This is the largest number in many years, indicating a very high demand for upgrading the qualifications of teachers in Can Tho.

According to a representative from the Can Tho City Department of Education and Training, the criteria for promotion are clearly defined, ranging from educational qualifications and employee performance evaluations to professional competence such as applied pedagogical research, initiatives, and participation in training gifted students. To avoid formality, the plan requires principals of each unit to be responsible for reviewing dossiers and verifying the authenticity of evidence, especially for research products.

All submitted documents will be independently evaluated by a team of experts, regardless of the nominating institution. The leaders of the Can Tho Department of Education and Training affirmed that the promotion review will not only be based on qualifications, but will also place special emphasis on the ability to apply technology, innovate teaching methods, and practical skills – essential requirements in the context of digital transformation in education.

Ensure the schedule is maintained.

In Nghe An province, according to statistics from the Department of Education and Training, four rounds of teacher promotion examinations have been held for high school teachers since 2012, basically meeting the needs and ensuring the rights of teachers. Regarding other educational levels, which were under the management of the district level before July 1, 2025, the Department of Education and Training has reviewed the situation by school, level, and locality. Specifically, the percentage of teachers holding Grade I is very small, and the number of those meeting the criteria for promotion is not high: 0.03% in preschool; 0.04% in primary school; and 3.35% in lower secondary school. The percentage of Grade III teachers is 66.69% in preschool; 48.65% in primary school; and 13.49% in lower secondary school. The percentage of Grade II teachers is 32.82% in preschool; 50.1% in primary school; and as high as 83.01% in lower secondary school.

According to Mr. Nguyen The Luc, Deputy Head of the Personnel and Organization Department of the Nghe An Department of Education and Training, many primary and secondary schools have a rate of Grade II teachers exceeding 95%. In preschools alone, the number of teachers currently holding Grade III who have not yet been considered for promotion to Grade II remains high. This is a reality that many preschool teachers have reflected on and questioned the Department of Education and Training about recently. Currently, with the delegation of authority from the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee and current regulations, relevant agencies will develop plans, targets, criteria, and methods for organizing the promotion of civil servants to ensure the rights of teachers.

In Vinh Long, the process of considering promotions for teachers' professional titles is carried out systematically and proactively. Mr. Lam Dang Hong Son, Head of the Personnel and Organization Department of the Department of Education and Training, stated that during the period 2016-2025, over 7,600 teachers in the province were promoted through various levels. Of these, over 2,000 teachers were promoted from rank IV to III; over 5,600 from rank III to II; and 7 teachers from rank II to I.

Based on the collected data, the Department submitted a report on the number and structure of existing professional positions, and compiled a list of eligible civil servants for promotion consideration. Based on this, the Department of Education and Training, in coordination with the Department of Interior Affairs, developed a teacher promotion plan to be submitted to the Provincial People's Committee for approval.

After the project is approved, the Department of Internal Affairs will continue to advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue a plan for promotion reviews on an annual basis. From there, Vinh Long can organize a transparent and proper review process, ensuring the rights of teachers at all levels. This is also an important preparatory step to help the province implement the roadmap for raising the qualification and professional standards as stipulated by the Ministry of Education and Training.

The commune level has been given the authority to organize the promotion review for teachers in educational institutions under its management – this is a new task under the two-tiered local government system. The Nghe An Department of Education and Training plans to organize training for commune-level officials on the procedures and methods for implementing the review according to current regulations. The training will be hands-on, ensuring that the teacher promotion review process is smooth, quick, objective, and in accordance with regulations.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/khan-truong-xet-thang-hang-giao-vien-can-co-che-linh-hoat-post760072.html