When do teachers become central agents of innovation?

GD&TĐ - In order for teachers to truly "live by their profession" and live a life worthy of their profession, in addition to improving salary policies, benefits, or special mechanisms, the core issue is to build social trust and respect for teachers.

When teachers are respected and given the conditions to devote themselves to their profession, they will become the central factor in educational innovation.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Hang - Party Committee Secretary, President of the Council of the Academy of Educational Management: Three pillars of reviving education, enhancing the status of teachers

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Hang. Photo: NVCC

Education revitalization is a comprehensive process, but the core still lies in people, the center is the teaching staff. In this structure, policy is the tool to create conditions; social awareness is the nurturing environment; teachers are the creative subjects. These three factors have an organic relationship and interact with each other: Correct policy helps teachers feel secure in their dedication; social respect helps them gain more motivation; and when teachers shine in their profession, society will trust and invest more in education. In other words, education revitalization needs to start with revitalizing the position of teachers.

In practice, salary and allowance policies have improved, but the income gap between teachers and many other groups is still quite large. This is one of the reasons why many good students do not choose teaching as a career and a number of good teachers leave school. Improving income is necessary but not enough, because the value of teaching cannot be measured by the number on the salary sheet.

In many developed countries, teaching is considered one of the most prestigious professions in society. They have special mechanisms for promotion, research, professional autonomy and protection of professional honor. Vietnam can absolutely move towards that model. The birth of the Law on Teachers is a golden opportunity to design specific policies, such as separating teachers' salaries from the civil servant salary scale, building a career development fund, or preferential scholarship and credit policies for pedagogical students.

I think the decisive factor is social trust and professional trust. We can improve policies very quickly, but changing society’s view of teachers requires a long process. When society realizes that teachers are not only “transmitters of knowledge” but “leaders of knowledge and personality”, the status of teachers will naturally be raised.

This requires concerted action: the media needs to spread positive images of teachers; parents need to support teachers instead of putting pressure; management agencies need to resolutely protect the honor and reputation of the teaching staff. Caring for teachers is not a favor to a group of professions, but an investment in the future of the nation.

I do not think that tradition has disappeared, but it is clearly being “diluted” in the cycle of market economy and pragmatic lifestyle. To restore it, we must bring back the culture of “respecting teachers and valuing education” as a mainstream value in schools and society.

This can start with concrete actions: Educating students to be grateful and respect their teachers; building a mechanism to protect professional honor; organizing to honor and honor outstanding teachers; and importantly, every policy and every action of the industry leaders must clearly demonstrate respect for teachers. When policies and culture are directed towards teachers, the tradition of "respecting teachers" will not only be restored but also modernized in the new context.

In my opinion, we need to focus on three main pillars. First, ensuring material life: Reforming salary policies, allowances and preferential regimes for teachers in difficult areas. Teachers can only fully devote themselves when they do not have to worry about making a living.

Second, strengthen trust and social status: Incorporate respect for teachers and school culture into the education program, promote communication to honor teachers, and promptly commend advanced models.

Third, build a sustainable career development mechanism: Create conditions for teachers to learn throughout their lives, have opportunities for advancement based on their abilities, have autonomy in their expertise and in building a happy and creative school environment.

On the occasion of Vietnamese Teachers' Day (November 20, 2025), I would like to express my gratitude and trust to the team of teachers. Every teacher, whether in the city or in remote areas, is contributing to building the future of the country with their own knowledge and personality. When policy, society and teachers share the belief that education is the top national policy, the revival of Vietnam's education will not be far away.

Mr. Nguyen Van Canh - National Assembly Delegate of Gia Lai Province: Deserving honor for the contributions of teachers

Mr. Nguyen Van Canh. Photo: QH

I think that, along with selecting and awarding the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher, there should be a formal honor at the place of residence of the teachers who receive these noble titles.

This is not only a worthy recognition and honor for the contributions of teachers, but also a great source of spiritual encouragement, helping them to be more proud, to preserve the image, qualities and professional prestige commensurate with the title awarded.

In previous generations, there were almost no cases of parents assaulting teachers or students insulting teachers. However, in recent times, unfortunate incidents have appeared, causing a significant impact on the image of teachers and the nation's tradition of "respecting teachers and valuing education".

Therefore, I request that educational management agencies strictly implement regulations on what parents and students are not allowed to do to teachers, in order to protect the position, reputation and safety of the teaching staff.

In case of conflict, parents and students should absolutely not resolve it directly with the teacher, but must go through the school, the parent-teacher representative board or the competent authority. Only when there is respect and civilized behavior in the teacher-student-parent relationship, will the teaching profession be truly respected by society, worthy of its inherent noble status.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha - National Assembly Delegation of Bac Ninh: Overall policy includes three pillars: income - trust - position

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha. Photo: NVCC

The Party and the State always affirm the central position of the teaching staff in the career of educating people, but the material and spiritual life of the majority of teachers still has many concerns. Many teachers have to worry about daily life, even take on extra jobs to make ends meet, causing their passion and time for the profession to be somewhat dispersed.

We have had policies to improve salaries and allowances, adjusted labor standards and preferential regulations for teachers in remote areas. However, that only solves the "tip" of the problem. What the teaching staff needs most is social trust and true respect for the teaching profession.

When teachers are recognized by society with respect, their honor and professional reputation are protected, they will have more motivation to live with their profession and dedicate themselves to it.

I think that taking care of teachers’ lives does not stop at “material treatment”, but must be a comprehensive policy consisting of three pillars: income - belief - position. Income helps them live with peace of mind, belief helps them stand firm in the face of difficulties and position helps them feel proud when standing in front of the class. Of these, “position” is a factor that is difficult to measure and quantify but has the deepest meaning.

Therefore, the management agencies need to improve the legal framework to protect the honor and dignity of teachers. In recent years, a number of cases of parents or students insulting teachers have caused public outrage. There must be specific sanctions, strong enough to prevent such acts from recurring, while affirming: Teachers deserve to be respected by society.

In addition, it is necessary to expand specific mechanisms in recruiting, evaluating, appointing and rewarding teachers, especially good teachers and exemplary teachers. The consideration of awarding the title of Excellent Teacher and People's Teacher should be associated with the form of public honor at the place of residence or locality as a way to show gratitude and spread the image of exemplary teachers.

Mr. Duong Khac Mai - National Assembly Delegation of Lam Dong Province: High salary must go hand in hand with quality

Mr. Duong Khac Mai. Photo: QH

Teachers' salaries are ranked highest in the system of administrative and career salary scales. I highly agree with this regulation to remove difficulties and the specific nature of teachers' jobs. For the policy to be effectively implemented, I suggest that the highest salary in the system of salary scales and grades must go hand in hand with the quality of teachers.

Because the importance, role and decision of the teaching staff in improving the quality of education is a decisive factor in the development of high-quality human resources, human development, meeting the requirements of industrialization, modernization and international integration.

In the past, the majority of the teaching staff had very good qualifications, abilities, ethics, and qualities. However, there were still some teachers, including managers, who violated professional ethics, causing sad stories to happen that had to be dealt with. Therefore, along with implementing the specific salary policy, in the process of enforcing the law, there should be regulations to improve the quality of the teaching staff, gradually building a team of teachers who are truly good at their profession, fully meeting the regulations on teachers' ethics, dedicated and responsible to their profession.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Quyen Thanh - National Assembly Delegate of Vinh Long Province: A teacher with new beauty, higher mission, greater responsibility

Ms. Nguyen Thi Quyen Thanh. Photo: QH

The Law on Teachers has designed policy contents specifically for teachers, thereby correctly demonstrating the viewpoint that education is the top national policy, meeting educational requirements and orienting the country's development in the future.

Currently, the rights and obligations of teachers are clearly, fully and systematically defined, contributing to affirming and enhancing the status of teachers. Regulations related to public educational institutions have been stipulated in the Law on Teachers, serving as a basis for arranging and assigning teachers in accordance with the requirements of educational innovation and increasing autonomy for educational institutions.

Regarding salary policy and retirement age priority for preschool teachers, I hope that when issuing decrees and circulars, the Government and the Ministry of Education and Training need to specify these general regulations, ensuring that preschool teachers' time and labor are recognized with appropriate benefits.

In addition, regulations on support policies need to be stronger in training, self-improvement, creating conditions in terms of time, finance, and benefits for teachers to self-study and self-improvement to improve professional capacity, meeting the needs of educational innovation. At the same time, there needs to be a special regime to regulate early salary increases or rewards for teachers with outstanding achievements.

I also propose that teachers be given priority in purchasing social housing and ensure material conditions in equipment serving teaching and learning activities. This will contribute to nurturing love for the profession as well as ideals, creating motivation for teachers to develop.

Having worked in the education sector, I understand the difficulties of the sector and the thoughts and wishes of the teaching staff. Most teachers come to the podium because of love and passion for the profession, because without love for the profession, they cannot teach well. In the period of national development, teachers have a new beauty with a higher mission and greater responsibility, directly deciding the quality of the country's human resources, contributing to the formation of the personality of Vietnamese people with a strong sense of patriotism.

“More than ever, every policy for teachers needs to be examined with the question: “Do teachers feel respected, protected and have the confidence to continue to contribute?”. When this issue is thoroughly resolved, then we can truly fulfill our responsibility to the noblest of noble professions,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/khi-nao-thay-co-tro-thanh-nhan-to-trung-tam-cua-doi-moi-post755792.html