The manpower gap in schools.

The shortage of school staff is creating manpower gaps, significantly impacting the operational efficiency of schools in Thanh Hoa.

Mr. Le Hung Thach is a science teacher and school health worker at Linh Son Secondary School.

Linh Son Secondary School in Linh Son commune currently has only two staff positions on the payroll: accountant and librarian. All other school staff positions are filled through part-time work. Mr. Le Hung Thach, a science teacher, has nearly 10 years of experience as a school health worker, including four years at Linh Son Secondary School. Mr. Thach shared: “Although I receive training and certification annually, I can only handle and provide initial first aid for minor accidents and injuries. For more complex or serious cases, I can only coordinate with the family to transfer the patient to a medical center. In reality, the school urgently needs someone with expertise and experience to fill this position.”

The principal of Linh Son Secondary School, Le Xuan Hung, shared: “The school has a total of 686 students/18 classes and is a national standard school, requiring a large number of documents for annual accreditation. However, due to a shortage of administrative staff, laboratory equipment, school health services, school psychological counseling, etc., all these positions have to be assigned to teachers as兼任 (part-time), and even the school management board has to get involved in arranging and supplementing records and documents. The shortage of equipment staff, especially in the context of implementing the 2018 General Education Program, makes it very difficult to implement teaching and learning that integrates practical application... The school hopes that relevant authorities will pay attention to recruiting school staff to ensure the quality and effectiveness of operations.”

There is also a significant staffing gap in schools; at Linh Son Primary School, all school staff positions are filled by individuals holding multiple roles. The principal of Linh Son Primary School, Nguyen Thi Ngoc, shared: “The fact that school staff positions, especially the school health staff position, are often combined with other responsibilities poses many risks, as this is a crucial position related to the lives and health of students and teachers. Furthermore, school health staff also handle many other related tasks such as advising and organizing school health activities, providing primary healthcare for students, preventing epidemics, preventing child sexual abuse, preventing the harmful effects of tobacco, e-cigarettes, and drugs, preventing HIV/AIDS, providing mental health care, psychological counseling, and supporting students with abnormal psychological behaviors, and early detection of signs of autism in children to coordinate with families and healthcare facilities for timely intervention… This position should be officially recruited to improve the quality of school health care for students.”

In the context of accelerating the application of information technology and digital transformation, the shortage of school staff positions has caused considerable difficulties and delays in carrying out tasks related to information, reporting, records, and paperwork.

Nguyen Tien Chung, Principal of Cam Ngoc Secondary School in Cam Thuy commune, shared: “Compared to Circular 20/2023/TT-BGDĐT of the Ministry of Education and Training, the school currently lacks 17 teachers, and other positions are also understaffed (except for the accounting staff). The shortage of school staff, especially in information technology and equipment positions, is a major obstacle in the digital transformation of education, limiting the application of technology and reducing the effectiveness of teaching and management.”

On March 21, 2026, the Thanh Hoa Department of Education and Training issued Official Letter No. 1052/SGDĐT-TCCB, requesting schools to review and determine job position needs in order to develop a plan for recruiting teachers and school staff. Accordingly, the positions to be recruited include specialized groups such as: equipment, laboratory, academic affairs, student counseling (Grade III); and common professional groups, including library, administrative, and accounting positions (Grade IV). The school health position will not be recruited for in this recruitment round.

The Provincial Department of Education and Training requires school principals to determine their needs based on the actual educational activities and staffing levels at their respective institutions. They should report the proposed job positions to the Department of Education and Training for compilation and the development of a plan to be submitted to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and approval. Each school is allocated 3 recruitment positions; if a school has already filled all 3 positions, no further positions will be filled.

To date, out of a total of 88 high schools and combined junior and senior high schools in the province, there are approximately 300 people working in various positions. Currently, 96 staff members have been recruited, while the rest remain unemployed and mostly work under contracts signed with the schools. Notably, some individuals have worked at the schools for nearly 20 years, but due to not being recruited, their salaries, allowances, and other benefits are not being guaranteed.

With the Government issuing Resolution No. 248/2025/QH15 on a number of specific and outstanding mechanisms and policies to achieve breakthroughs in education and training development, stipulating a minimum preferential rate of 30% for school staff applicable from January 1, 2026, and the Provincial Department of Education and Training requesting a review of school staff positions in high schools and combined junior and senior high schools, it is expected that this will contribute to improving income and creating motivation to enhance the efficiency of school operations.

Text and photos: Linh Huong

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/khoang-trong-nhan-luc-nbsp-trong-truong-hoc-288222.htm