Improving the quality of the team: The support from the Law on Teachers

Teachers in the mountainous region of Lai Chau hope that the Law will be effectively implemented in practice, becoming a "foundation" for improving professional competence and staying committed to the profession.

We hope the Law will be put into practice.

The Law on Teachers, recently passed by the National Assembly , fully regulates the legal status, rights, obligations, and policies for teachers. This is great news for teachers nationwide, especially those working in the mountainous and particularly disadvantaged areas of Lai Chau province.

Sharing this joy, Mr. Nguyen Quang Thieu - Principal of Sin Suoi Ho Ethnic Boarding Primary School (Sin Suoi Ho, Lai Chau) said that in recent years, teachers, especially in mountainous areas, have faced many challenges such as: harsh living conditions, lack of facilities, low income, high work pressure, and few opportunities for advancement... The promulgation of the Law on Teachers is an effort to institutionalize the role and legal position of teachers, thereby creating a clear legal framework to protect the rights and professional development of teachers.

“The Law on Teachers will take effect from January 1, 2026. I expect the Law to be implemented comprehensively, transparently, and effectively, creating a great boost in morale and motivation for teachers to feel secure and committed, while also contributing to improving the quality of education in mountainous areas,” Mr. Thieu shared.

Mr. Bui Van Phi, Principal of Nam Cha Ethnic Boarding Junior High School in Muong Mo commune, stated: "The definition of teachers, linked to the specific characteristics of the profession, is fully and systematically regulated in the Law, ensuring the quality of the workforce, creating equality between teachers in public and private schools, and contributing to enhancing the status of the teaching profession."

According to Mr. Phi, the Law specifically stipulates the rights and obligations of teachers; prohibited acts for individuals and organizations related to teachers; and sanctions for violations... These provisions help protect teachers and create conditions for teachers to carry out their professional activities effectively and legally.

"We hope that the Law on Teachers, once it comes into effect, will contribute to strengthening and enhancing the status of teachers; and we expect that the provisions and policies of the Law will be effectively implemented in practice soon," Mr. Phi expressed.

Teachers and students at Sin Suoi Ho school branch, Sin Suoi Ho Kindergarten (Lai Chau).

A foundation for staying committed to the profession.

One of the key areas that teachers in mountainous regions are looking forward to is policies regarding salaries, benefits, and incentives to encourage teachers to stay in the profession, especially in disadvantaged areas.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Loan, Principal of Ban Lang Kindergarten in Khong Lao commune, shared: “The regulation that teachers' salaries are ranked highest in the public sector salary scale is a positive sign, contributing to affirming the position of the teaching profession in society. Especially for kindergarten teachers and teachers working in ethnic minority areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions like ours, this policy is even more meaningful.”

According to point a, clause 2, Article 24 of the Law on Teachers, teachers working in ethnic minority areas, mountainous regions, border areas, islands, and areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions will be supported with renting public housing or provided with collective accommodation. If accommodation cannot be provided, they will be supported with housing rental fees at the prescribed rate.

For 15 years working at Ban Lang Kindergarten, Ms. Tran Thi Thu Huyen (from Dien Bien province) has regularly been assigned to teach in remote villages. Previously, she and several other teachers had to use a corner of the classroom or the school's storage room as their living quarters. This year, assigned to the Dao San school branch, she has to rent accommodation in Muong So, about 14km from where she teaches, due to the lack of housing.

“My rented accommodation is quite far from the school, so I have to leave early and come home late. The monthly cost of rent, electricity, and water is over 1 million VND, while my income depends solely on my salary. Therefore, the housing support policy in the Law on Teachers is a great source of encouragement for teachers in mountainous areas like me,” Ms. Huyen shared.

Currently, Ban Lang Kindergarten has 11 school locations, with 6 teachers having to rent housing. "We hope that in addition to housing rental support, the government will invest in building official housing so that teachers can live near the school locations, facilitating teaching and improving the quality of education," added Ms. Huyen.

The shortage of official housing for teachers remains common in many educational institutions in the mountainous areas of Lai Chau province. At Sin Suoi Ho Kindergarten (Sin Suoi Ho commune), which currently has 11 school locations and 37 staff members, teachers, and employees, Principal Pham Thi Thao stated: “Most teachers have to rent houses or utilize storage rooms or classrooms as living quarters. Some teachers commute more than 60km daily to and from their residences. A housing rental subsidy policy would alleviate these difficulties and create an incentive to retain teachers in mountainous areas.”

Ms. Lo Thi Thuy, a teacher at Ka Lang Ethnic Boarding Junior High School (Thu Lum commune), originally from Dien Bien province, has worked for nearly 10 years in the mountainous region of Lai Chau. She emotionally shared: “Hearing the news that the Law on Teachers stipulates support for travel expenses for teachers working in particularly difficult areas, we feel very warmhearted. Being far from home, we only get to return during Tet or summer vacation, so this travel support, though not large, is still a very valuable gesture of care.”

“The enactment of the Law is just the beginning. What is essential is for the policy to be put into practice through financial mechanisms, remuneration schemes, professional training, career advancement, working environment… And above all, there needs to be listening to the voices, thoughts, and aspirations of teachers in mountainous areas,” Mr. Nguyen Quang Thieu expressed.

Source: https://giaoducthoidai.vn/nang-cao-chat-luong-doi-ngu-diem-tua-tu-luat-nha-giao-post743447.html