Teachers - the pioneers of educational innovation

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son emphasized that teachers are considered the foundation and pillar of education. Therefore, innovation in teacher training is the key to successfully implementing innovation and breakthroughs in education and training development.

On the occasion of the Vietnamese Teachers' Day on November 20, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son discussed the major orientations of the education sector in the coming period, especially the implementation of salary policies, preferential allowances for jobs, improving the lives of teachers and promoting solutions to improve teaching quality.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son. Photo: BGDĐT

Teacher training reform is key

Reporter: Minister, how is the implementation of the Law on Teachers being carried out and what are the notable new points in the system of sub-law documents that are about to take effect from January 1, 2026?

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son: As soon as the National Assembly passed the Law on Teachers, the Ministry of Education and Training developed and submitted to the Government 3 Decrees and 14 Circulars, ensuring they take effect simultaneously when the Law on Teachers takes effect on January 1, 2026. These documents were developed in a standardized and better direction for teachers, with some notable points.

The Ministry of Education and Training is focusing on effectively implementing Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW, which clearly defines the task of building and developing a team of teachers as the core force, playing a central role in the cause of educational innovation according to the motto "Taking quality as the axis, taking teachers as the key, taking technology as the lever".

First of all, it is the standardization and synchronization in the whole system when implementing the consolidation of two systems of professional title standards and professional standards into a system of titles associated with professional competency standards, applied uniformly to both public and non-public. This aims to create a common quality level for the entire team; ensure fairness in access to quality education for students; increase transparency and accessibility in assessment, selection and training of teachers.

In addition, regulations on the content and methods of teacher recruitment will be adjusted in line with pedagogical practice, ensuring quality input, appropriate to each level of education and training level. Policies on salaries, allowances, support, and teacher attraction will also be reviewed and supplemented to help increase income and improve the lives of teachers.

Minister encourages candidates before high school graduation exam. Photo: Ministry of Education and Training

Minister, please tell us what solutions the Ministry of Education and Training is implementing to innovate teacher training and development, in order to improve professional capacity and qualities to meet current educational requirements?

- The Ministry of Education and Training is developing a Decree guiding the Law on Teachers, regulating recruitment methods based on professional standards through examinations or selection, including pedagogical practice, in order to select teachers with sufficient capacity and qualities as soon as they enter the profession.

Teachers are considered the foundation and pillar of education. Therefore, innovation in teacher training is the key to successfully implementing innovation and breakthrough in education and training development. The Ministry of Education and Training has been, is and will be implementing a series of innovations related to teacher training.

The content and objectives of the training program are adjusted towards developing comprehensive professional capacity, reducing academic theory, increasing practice, internship, active teaching methods, life skills, critical thinking and international integration capacity.

Training methods and training formats are flexible and open, creating opportunities for lifelong learning, and are assessed based on practical skills and pedagogical problem solving. Teachers are enhanced with digital and technological competencies.

In addition, strengthen the connection between teacher training colleges and high schools. Teacher training students need to participate in class observation, teaching assistantship, and practical experience from the second year, closely connecting with high schools.

Post-training teacher training and evaluation are conducted regularly, online, according to professional standards, ensuring transparency, fairness and linked to student results. At the same time, we aim to internationalize teacher training, expand international cooperation, exchange lecturers and students, access international professional standards for teachers, and move towards global education.

Promoting motivation for teachers beyond salary and allowances

What is the Ministry of Education and Training's view on maintaining and increasing preferential allowances for teachers in addition to new salaries, and what is the roadmap for implementing this policy?

- To specify the provisions in Resolution 71-NQ/TW, the Ministry is developing a Decree regulating preferential allowances according to occupation for civil servants and employees working in public educational institutions. In particular, it is proposed to increase preferential allowances according to a roadmap, including two phases.

In phase 1 from 2026-2030, the Ministry is proposing to add 20% allowances for school staff; increase 15% for teachers at all levels of preschool and general education, and increase 5% of preferential allowances for teachers and lecturers at universities and vocational training institutions.

Currently, the Ministry of Education and Training is presiding over the drafting of a Decree detailing a number of articles of the Law on Teachers and a Circular regulating the authority to recruit teachers. Accordingly, the authority to recruit, mobilize, and transfer teachers in preschool, general education, continuing education, and public specialized schools is proposed to be assigned to the Department of Education and Training to preside over implementation.

Phase 2, from 2031 onwards: the implementation of preferential allowances according to profession for preschool and general education teachers is applied according to the provisions of Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW.

Currently, the Ministry of Education and Training is coordinating with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance to develop a Government Decree, expected to be submitted to the Government for approval in 2025 to ensure it takes effect at the same time as the Law on Teachers.

Teachers are considered the foundation and pillars of education. Illustration photo: TN

Besides salaries and allowances, what solutions has the Ministry of Education and Training implemented to promote career motivation and ensure comprehensive benefits for teachers, Minister?

- One of the outstanding policies of the Law on Teachers is to affirm the position, protect the honor and prestige of the teaching profession. In addition to the salary and allowance regime, teachers also enjoy support, attraction and promotion policies, including: allowance regimes according to the nature of work, according to the region; training and fostering support regimes; periodic health care support regimes, occupational health care; being arranged public housing or collective housing or house rental support when working in particularly difficult areas.

At the same time, there will be policies to attract and promote highly qualified, talented, specially gifted, and highly skilled people; to work in particularly difficult areas; teachers in a number of important and essential fields... These policies and regimes will be specified in documents guiding the implementation of the Law on Teachers, expected to take effect simultaneously from January 1, 2026.

The above policies, together with regulations on professional standards, appointment of teacher titles, recruitment, employment, honoring, and rewarding teachers, etc., will be comprehensive solutions to help teachers feel secure in their work, focus on professional activities, and create motivation for teachers to improve their capacity and continuously develop their careers.

Training human resources, attracting good students into the teaching profession

The Education sector is focusing on developing a team of high-quality teachers. What measures does the Ministry have to attract and retain excellent students to choose the teaching profession, Minister?

- The education sector identifies that developing a team of teachers is not only about training teachers but also about nurturing people who inspire, lead and create the future for the young generation.

Attracting excellent students to the teaching profession is one of the top priorities and also a strategic task of the Education sector in the coming period. We are reviewing and adjusting comprehensive policies towards increasing the level of tuition and living expenses support and ensuring employment after graduation, so that teaching students can study with peace of mind and commit to the profession for a long time.

At the same time, the sector will expand scholarships for talented teachers, encourage students with high achievements in national and international exams to study teaching; raise admission standards, output standards, link training with the actual human resource needs of the locality and the requirements of renewing the general education program.

At the same time, we focus on building an attractive professional environment and a worthy social status for teachers. Priority mechanisms in recruitment, ranking, salary, promotion and professional development are being perfected so that the teaching profession can truly become a prestigious choice for talented, dedicated and ambitious people.

Teacher and students on the opening day of the new school year. Photo: PT

On the occasion of Vietnamese Teachers' Day, November 20, what message would the Minister like to send to teachers and education managers across the country, especially in the context of implementing major policies of the sector?

- On the occasion of Vietnamese Teachers' Day November 20, I would like to send all generations of teachers, administrators and staff in the education sector across the country my best wishes, deep gratitude and wishes for health, happiness and success.

The 2025-2026 school year is the year of implementing a series of major policies and guidelines of the Party and State related to education and training. It is the year when the education sector enters a breakthrough period, comprehensive development, towards modernization and quality improvement in the spirit of Resolution 71-NQ/TW of the Politburo. In that context, I hope that each teacher will continue to maintain faith, love for the profession, constantly learn, create, and innovate teaching and management methods to meet the requirements of the new development era.

Thank you very much, Minister!

"In the current era of digital technology and Internet development, the teacher-student relationship must be valued even more because only respect and affection between teachers and students can keep education from becoming distorted, pragmatic, and insensitive.

Society needs to respect and uphold the spirit of “respecting teachers and valuing education”. Families must teach their children to respect teachers and appreciate learning. Schools must create an environment for teachers and students to truly bond. Teachers themselves must always practice to properly demonstrate the role of a teacher in every lesson and every action.

"A strong education cannot lack discipline and seriousness in the teacher-student relationship," Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son.

Nguyen Hoai

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/nguoi-thay-luc-luong-tien-phong-cua-doi-moi-giao-duc.html