Quang Ninh lacks 4,000 teachers

Many teachers in remote areas of Quang Ninh province have not been able to return to their old places after many years of working. Meanwhile, the education sector is short of thousands of staff, causing the province to struggle with temporary solutions.

Since 2021, the Department of Education and Training of Quang Ninh has not organized any teacher recruitment. Instead, the locality has to overcome the teacher shortage according to Decree 111 of the Government, which means signing contracts with teachers.

However, this approach has revealed its shortcomings: the calendar year contract does not coincide with a school year which is spread over 2 years. In fact, contracts with teachers must be signed annually, and re-signed in December, causing problems for both teachers and schools.

Quang Ninh lacks 4,000 teachers

PHOTO: LA NGHI HIEU

Deputy Director of the Quang Ninh Department of Education and Training, Mr. Trinh Dinh Hai, admitted that this was only a temporary solution. Recently, the department mobilized 30 former students of Ha Long University to volunteer to teach in 5 mountainous communes. However, this force is only a short-term support force and cannot solve the root of the problem.

According to Mr. Hai, up to now, the whole province lacks about 4,000 personnel in the education sector, of which teachers alone are short about 2,700 people (2,200 in public schools, 500 in private schools).

The main reason is that the process of streamlining the payroll is prolonged while demand is increasing, especially when the new general education program requires more job positions, subjects, and implementation methods that are different from before.

Teachers on military service in mountainous areas "stuck" and unable to return home

According to the leader of the Department of Education and Training of Quang Ninh province, many teachers who are on military service are currently "stuck" in some mountainous areas. These teachers have sent a petition to the Provincial People's Committee, after which the department has stepped in to respond.

Teachers go to highland areas in Ky Thuong commune (Quang Ninh)

PHOTO: LA NGHI HIEU

According to Mr. Trinh Dinh Hai, in the past, old localities such as Ha Long, Cam Pha, Mong Cai, Ba Che, Tien Yen used to dispatch and increase the number of teachers on duty to difficult areas. However, the regulations were different in each place, lacking consistency. Now, when Quang Ninh organizes a 2-level government, the responsibility for dispatching belongs to the Department of Education and Training. However, the Department of Education and Training cannot handle each locality separately, but must develop a common regulation for the whole province.

Another problem lies in Circular 15, according to which, communes have the right to appoint and dismiss school principals in the area, while the transfer of teachers must be done by the Department of Education and Training or an authorized unit. This causes many schools to have a local surplus or shortage of teachers, while the transfer is slow.

Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Quang Ninh province Trinh Dinh Hai talks about the shortage of teachers in the area.

PHOTO: LA NGHI HIEU

Mr. Hai emphasized that when the Law on Teachers takes effect from January 1, 2026, there will be a legal corridor for the mobilization and rotation of teachers. At that time, the Ministry of Education and Training will issue a guiding circular, and teachers working in difficult areas will be fully recognized for their time of contribution and dedication.

"I firmly believe that teacher rotation will never stop, because population fluctuations in each locality are frequent. Today there is a surplus, tomorrow there is a shortage, which easily happens," said Mr. Hai.

In the meantime, the provincial education sector must apply many temporary solutions, such as increasing recruitment of short-term contracts, arranging teachers to teach between schools and communes, increasing hours, and encouraging teachers to transfer voluntarily.

Some localities such as Bai Chay Ward have recruited 21 more contracts for schools; Mong Duong Ward has recruited 32 positions, including 25 teachers and 7 staff for the 2025-2026 school year.

The Department of Education and Training of Quang Ninh province has also recruited 71 contract positions for high school level, including 64 teachers and 7 staff, distributed to 30 public schools. However, this number is just a drop in the ocean compared to the actual demand.

To adapt, many schools have applied artificial intelligence to support teaching. However, the leaders of the Department of Education and Training affirmed that this is only a supplementary measure and cannot replace teachers in the classroom.

"Education needs people and inspiration. Technology is a tool, but it cannot fill the gap of teacher shortages," said Mr. Hai.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/quang-ninh-thieu-4000-giao-vien-185250910104022507.htm