I am entitled to the 13th month salary .
The vice principal of a private multi-level school in Da Lat City ( Lam Dong province) said that the school usually rewards teachers and staff with a 13th-month salary before the Lunar New Year, and this is considered a Tet bonus. The 13th-month salary is typically equivalent to the salary for other months of the year, depending on seniority, position, and work performance. "This year, Tet falls at the end of January, and my school usually pays salaries at the end of the month, so this year we're including both the monthly salary and the 13th-month salary. It's like teachers and staff have two months' salary to prepare for Tet with their families," the vice principal said.
Teachers participate in a competition to decorate fruit platters for Tet (Vietnamese New Year) 2024 at Bien Hung Park, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province.
Teachers at several large private school systems in Ho Chi Minh City said they recently received good news: the schools will be giving out 13th-month salaries, as is customary in previous years, to teachers and staff around January 20-21.
Dr. Nguyen Thanh Nhan, senior advisor at the Asian Young Talents Primary and Secondary School (ATY), said that typically, the school board receives a 13th-month salary bonus, savings bonuses, and productivity bonuses, depending on seniority and contributions during the year; averaging around 30 million VND per person. The Tet (Lunar New Year) bonus for school administrators can range from 50 to 150 million VND per person. Staff members receive a 13th-month salary bonus and additional allowances.
HIGH MONTHLY SALARY, TET BONUS IS JUST SECONDARY.
Ms. Pham Thi Thuy Vinh, founder of Ngo Thoi Nhiem Kindergarten, Primary, Secondary, and High School (with campuses in Binh Tan District, Thu Duc City – Ho Chi Minh City, and Binh Duong ), stated that over the years, her entire system has maintained a consistent Tet bonus for teachers and staff: the lowest being 5 million VND and the highest 20 million VND. For example, a new employee who has been with the school for one year will receive a minimum Tet bonus of 5 million VND.
Ms. Pham Thi Thuy Vinh stated that, based on her practical research and experience, the monthly salary of teachers and staff is the most important factor and serves as an economic leverage. “The first thing people ask about when applying for jobs anywhere is how much their monthly salary is, not how much their Tet bonus is. The Tet bonus is secondary. The most important things are the monthly salary, a positive work environment, whether teachers are well cared for, and whether the workplace is friendly and welcoming… these are the key factors in attracting and retaining staff,” Ms. Vinh explained.
Ms. Vinh revealed that the monthly salaries of the teaching staff at her school range from 14 to 60 million VND. Approximately 6% of those earning 60 million VND/month receive this salary. These teachers must have at least 15 years of experience, mostly those teaching 12th-grade students, with many achievements and contributions. The remaining teachers receive an average salary of 30.7 million VND/month. The monthly salary for staff is 15 million VND, with the lowest being for newly hired service staff at 6.6 million VND.
Teachers are provided with lunch at the school (funded by the school); if teachers work until the afternoon or evening, they will have dinner at the school. Teachers in charge of boarding students will have meals provided all day at the school. In addition, as part of the welfare program, staff members are entitled to travel opportunities. Senior staff with outstanding achievements will be eligible for overseas trips, with the school covering 100% of the costs for some and 20% for others, depending on individual contributions.
“To ensure fairness and transparency for all teachers and staff, we publicly disclose monthly salaries, bonuses, and benefits for all personnel. Salary adjustments are implemented at the beginning of the school year. We publicly announce how much you will receive for outstanding performance, good performance, training many excellent students, and even if your students don't win any awards… Once all information is made public, the staff will know their salary so they can dedicate themselves to their work without questioning it,” Ms. Vinh explained.
According to Ms. Vinh, the monthly salary system and positive working environment help stabilize the staff, allowing teachers to feel secure and committed. In her school system, up to 98% are full-time teachers, with very few visiting lecturers.
Many private schools reward teachers with a Lunar New Year bonus equivalent to their 13th-month salary.
A SYMBOLIC CELEBRATION OF TET
Ms. Phan Thi My Hue, founder of Thien An Education Co., Ltd., said that educational businesses like her company have been affected by the difficult economic situation. “We would like to give teachers a bigger bonus, but having enough income to maintain and ensure their salaries is already fortunate. This year, we can only give a symbolic Tet bonus to our teaching staff. We hope that with a more stable economy next year, we can take better care of our team,” Ms. Hue confided.
A teacher at a multi-level private school in Ho Chi Minh City did not specify the amount of the Lunar New Year bonus for 2025, but said that normally, before the Lunar New Year, the school will transfer the 13th-month salary as a bonus to encourage teachers and staff after a year of work. However, whether the 13th-month salary will be equal to or only 50-60% of other months' salary remains unknown, as the teacher has not been informed, as it depends on the enrollment situation and the school's performance during the past academic year.
The vice principal of a private multi-level school in Da Lat City stated: "Teachers and staff are very happy with the 13th-month salary, whether it's a small or large amount. This is a great motivation for the teaching staff. With a 13th-month salary, teachers can buy a few things for their families, give gifts to their parents, which is a Vietnamese cultural tradition. Regardless of the type of employee, when they have tried their best and see good benefits, they will feel secure and committed to their work."
Many teachers only hope to receive a Lunar New Year bonus equal to that of factory workers.
At the end of the year, the topic of Tet bonuses is often a hot topic in many professions. Many of us teachers honestly and jokingly say to each other that we envy the Tet bonuses in other professions, wishing we could get the same amount as factory workers.
In my 20 years of teaching at private schools, Tet bonuses ranged from 0 to 5 million VND. The only Tet with a 0 VND bonus was during the Covid-19 pandemic. In previous years, the largest Tet bonus I received was 5 million VND. In the private school system, many schools distribute bonuses based on their financial performance.
With Tet (Lunar New Year) 2025 approaching, I asked several colleagues working in various provinces and cities, and they mentioned that Tet bonuses are quite modest. Mr. NXD, a full-time teacher with about 15 years of experience at a private high school, said that the school awards a bonus equivalent to one month's basic salary (over 5 million VND) from the school's own revenue. Full-time teachers at private schools in Ho Chi Minh City usually receive a Tet bonus equivalent to one month's basic salary (13th month salary). Meanwhile, part-time teachers receive an average Tet bonus of only 500,000 to 1 million VND per person.
Ms. NTT, who works at a primary school in Di An City (Binh Duong province), said that teachers receive 2 million VND from the local budget. Mr. LHD, who teaches at a high school in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, shared that he heard the province is giving teachers a Tet bonus of 3.3 million VND this year, and that in previous years the town also allocated a budget for bonuses for teachers, ranging from 1.5 to 2 million VND, but he is unsure what the situation will be this year.
Thai Hoang
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