International experience and recommendations for Vietnam on policy framework for teachers

Conference scene

The workshop was organized in a combination of in-person and online formats with the participation of representatives of leaders of units under the Ministry of Education and Training and more than 150 policy makers, legislators,education managers, teachers, representatives of education unions and more than 10 international organizations, UNESCO organizations and Vietnamese non-governmental organizations.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong shared: In many countries, especially those with a tradition of valuing education and teachers, the position and role of teachers are always given attention. In order to affirm the position and role of teachers, the Ministry of Education and Training proposed that the Government develop a Law on Teachers with a consistent motto to develop the teaching staff, shifting from administrative management to quality management in order to attract and retain talented people in the teaching profession, and to confidently contribute.

The Deputy Minister said that over the past time, the draft Law on Teachers has been developed with elaborate and careful processes and procedures. In which, there is the responsible and dedicated participation of a team of experts, higher education institutions, and Departments of Education and Training. The draft Law on Teachers has been submitted to the 8th Session of the 15th National Assembly . Accordingly, there were 127 comments in groups and 37 comments discussed in the parliament.

Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong speaks at the workshop

Most opinions affirmed that the Drafting Committee had worked seriously, meticulously, and with quality. Opinions discussed at the National Assembly all agreed on the necessity of promulgating the Law on Teachers. The problem is how to increase policies to attract teachers, while clarifying the responsibilities and ethics of teachers.

According to regulations, the draft Law on Teachers will be submitted to the National Assembly in two rounds. Round 1 was discussed and commented on by delegates on November 20. At the 9th session, scheduled for May 2025, the National Assembly will continue to discuss and consider passing the draft Law on Teachers.

“We have another 6 months to continue to seek opinions from experts and organizations at home and abroad. The spirit is to be open-minded, listen and seriously accept the direction of General Secretary To Lam: When the Law on Teachers is promulgated, we must make the teaching staff happy, excited and expectant,” the Deputy Minister reiterated, emphasizing that building the Law on Teachers is not about systematizing regulations, but about making teachers love their profession more, contributing to improving the quality of education, where the main beneficiaries are generations of students.

Ms. Miki Nozawa, Head of Education Program, UNESCO in Vietnam shared at the workshop

Speaking at the workshop, Ms. Miki Nozawa, Head of Education Programme, UNESCO in Vietnam, said: Teacher quality is one of the most important factors determining learning outcomes. However, the teaching profession faces significant challenges and must adapt to the ever-changing needs of education and society.

To support teachers in fulfilling this vital role and address emerging challenges, it is essential to develop comprehensive legislation on teachers that will ensure that teachers can continue to provide quality education for all, contributing to a more equitable and inclusive society, from which they themselves benefit.

“This event is a clear demonstration of the joint commitment of the Ministry of Education and Training and UNESCO in promoting the role and status of teachers through strengthened policies and laws, in response to the rapidly changing context in Vietnam,” said Ms. Miki Nozawa.

Foreign experts discuss at online workshop

At the workshop, experts from domestic and foreign organizations participated in discussions, exchanges, debates, and proposed ideas related to establishing and building policies to attract teachers, improve quality, develop the teaching staff, international and national experiences in building laws on the teaching staff, etc.

Dr. Li TingZhou, Teacher Training Center, Shanghai Normal University, informed: China has established a unified professional title system for teachers. Similar to university professors and doctors, primary and secondary school teachers can achieve high-level professional titles. Currently, there are about 11 million teachers in China, of which about 30,000 teachers have professional titles equivalent to professors. The salaries and social benefits of these teachers are also at the same level as professors. Thereby, the professional title system promotes the status of teachers in China.

Commenting that although the Vietnamese teaching staff has made much progress compared to before, but facing the increasingly high and complex requirements of educational innovation, this staff is still in a state of shortage in quantity, unreasonable in structure, and not meeting the requirements of quality, Dr. of Science Pham Do Nhat Tien also recommended the need to develop a teacher policy according to a comprehensive and holistic approach, in line with the guiding views in fundamental and comprehensive educational innovation; develop training and fostering programs for teachers in a transformational direction, one step ahead to be ready for the transformation of teaching and learning in educational institutions; ensure the salary, treatment and reward regime for teachers commensurate with the position, role, responsibility and professional activities of teachers; identify and overcome current shortcomings and barriers in recruiting, using and retaining teachers...

Doctor of Science Pham Do Nhat Tien discussed many contents about the draft Law on Teachers.

Appreciating the approach of the draft Law on Teachers, especially after revisions and supplements, there are similarities with the laws on teachers in countries around the world, Principal of Hai Phong University Bui Xuan Hai gave additional comments on the recruitment of lecturers at public higher education institutions; noted the policy on teachers' salaries for autonomous and non-autonomous higher education institutions; attracting lecturers, and policies for foreign lecturers.

Continuing to emphasize the important role of the teaching staff as well as the need to develop the Law on Teachers, in his closing remarks at the workshop, Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong stated: In advanced countries with a tradition in education, they clearly define the role and position of teachers in the prosperity of the country. Investing in education and developing teachers is investing in development, for the present and the future.

Through the opinions exchanged at the workshop, the messages all mentioned the development of the teaching staff and the development of teaching policies in the direction of strengthening and facilitating the development of teachers. It is not only a matter of salary but also working conditions, creative space, working space, so that teachers have the most basic conditions to be able to live on their profession and ensure the quality of education.

Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong and Ms. Miki Nozawa, Head of Education Program, UNESCO in Vietnam chaired the discussion at the workshop.

“This is not a preferential treatment for teachers, but a basic policy for teachers, and international experience has proven this. In the coming time, in the process of continuing to perfect the draft Law on Teachers, the Ministry of Education and Training will aim to develop policies that are in line with the goal of developing the teaching staff,” the Deputy Minister emphasized.

Opinions exchanged at the workshop on recruitment, teacher management, the leading role of the state in teacher management, etc. were specifically discussed by Deputy Minister Pham Ngoc Thuong. Regarding teacher management, the Deputy Minister emphasized that teachers are special civil servants, so they need to be managed according to the vertical system and in accordance with the specific characteristics of the profession.

The Deputy Minister requested the Drafting Committee to fully acknowledge the opinions of experts, absorb and synthesize them in a scientific and selective manner based on the current socio-economic conditions of Vietnam.