How are teachers paid?

TPO - According to the Ministry of Education and Training, in addition to salary, teachers are entitled to a number of allowances including: seniority allowance, preferential allowance from 25% - 70%. In addition, teachers working in specialized schools and areas with especially difficult conditions are also entitled to a number of allowances.

In some positions, teachers are also paid additional allowances, subsidies, and other remunerations such as: position allowance, job responsibility allowance, heavy and toxic allowance, etc.

However, according to the Ministry of Education and Training , regarding preferential allowances, up to 76% of teachers only receive an allowance of 25%-35%; only teachers teaching in remote, mountainous, and island areas receive an allowance of 50%; teachers teaching in specialized schools, schools for children with disabilities, and ethnic boarding schools receive an allowance of 70%.

Teachers who have paid compulsory social insurance for 5 years (60 months) are entitled to seniority allowance equal to 5% of their current salary. From the 6th year onwards, each year (12 months) is calculated with an additional 1%.

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, new teachers in the first 5 years of their careers only receive salaries based on salary coefficients and preferential allowances, without seniority allowances, so they are very low.

The lowest salary for preschool teachers is about 6.6 million VND/month; the salary for primary school teachers is 7.3 million VND/month; the salary for middle school, high school, and university preparatory teachers is about 7.1 million VND/month.

Lowest preschool teacher salary

Mr. Vu Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Managers (Ministry of Education and Training), said that Education is not the only sector that enjoys seniority allowance.

However, according to Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW, when the Government issues the new salary policy, seniority allowances will only apply to the military, police, and cryptography. Thus, teachers are in the positions that will no longer be entitled to seniority allowances when the new salary policy is implemented.

In fact, currently only 12% of teachers are classified into 3 salary groups: A1 - A2.1 - A3.1, but almost 100% of civil servants in other sectors and fields are classified into these 3 salary groups.

Of these, only a maximum of 1.17% of senior teachers (grade I) are ranked in the highest salary scale (including A3.1 and A3.2), while other sectors have a maximum of 10% of civil servants ranked in the A3.1 salary scale.

88% of teachers are ranked lower in salary than civil servants in other sectors and fields. 88% of these teachers can enjoy the highest salary coefficient of 6.78; while civil servants in other sectors can enjoy the highest salary coefficient of 8.0 (about 1.18 times higher).

According to Mr. Duc, currently 100% of preschool teachers are ranked at the lowest salary in the administrative career salary scale system.

In which, the starting coefficient of a grade III preschool teacher is 2.10 while the grade III titles of other civil servants are 2.34 (about 1.11 times higher).

The starting coefficient of a grade II preschool teacher is 2.34 while that of grade II positions of other civil servants is 4.4 (about 1.88 times higher).

The starting coefficient of a first-class preschool teacher is 4.0 while that of first-class positions of civil servants in other sectors is 6.2 (about 1.55 times higher).

The highest salary coefficient that preschool teachers can enjoy is 6.38, while the highest salary coefficient that civil servants in other sectors can enjoy is 8.0 (about 1.25 times higher).

“Looking at the reality of this salary arrangement, we have not seen that the teaching profession is truly a noble profession, honored by society as the Party has determined; the professional activities of teachers seem to be “simpler” compared to the professional activities of officials in other sectors. While in reality, the “career of cultivating people” requires teachers to be dedicated, love their profession, love their students; have extensive knowledge, pedagogical skills, communication skills, self-study awareness, the ability to continuously update and must build the image of an exemplary teacher to educate students through example,” said Mr. Duc.

To implement the Law on Teachers, which will take effect on January 1, 2026, the Ministry of Education and Training is advising the Government to issue a Decree regulating salary and allowance policies for teachers. One of the outstanding policies expected to be stipulated in this Decree is that all teachers will enjoy a special salary coefficient.

In particular, preschool teachers are entitled to a special salary coefficient of 1.25 compared to the current salary coefficient; other teaching positions are entitled to a special salary coefficient of 1.15 compared to the current salary coefficient. For teachers teaching at schools, classes for people with disabilities, centers to support the development of inclusive education, and boarding schools in border areas, an additional 0.05 is added to the prescribed level.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/nha-giao-dang-duoc-huong-luong-nhu-the-nao-post1796516.tpo