Increased benefits, keeping the passion for the profession alive - Part 1: The joy from policy

From 2026, when the Law on Teachers comes into effect, teachers will receive the highest salary in the public service sector, along with increased special allowances. This is great news for the teaching staff, but the question is: will the salary increase be enough to end private tutoring and improve the quality of teaching and learning? Starting today, Dai Doan Ket Newspaper will publish a series of articles titled "Increased Benefits, Keeping the Passion for the Profession Alive," reflecting the joy, expectations, and concerns of teachers nationwide.

Teachers nationwide are receiving double good news as the Law on Teachers is about to come into effect, along with the Ministry of Education and Training 's proposal on special salary and allowance schemes. These new policies are expected to provide great encouragement and affirm the status of the teaching profession.

New policy elevates the status of teachers.

The Law on Teachers, passed by the National Assembly and comprising 9 chapters and 42 articles, will take effect on January 1, 2026, bringing many notable policies for the teaching staff. Upon its enactment, teachers' salaries will be prioritized and ranked highest within the public service sector. This will serve as the basis for the Government to adjust salary systems accordingly, ensuring the rights and benefits of teachers.

A lesson between a teacher and students at Ba Dinh Secondary School ( Hanoi ). Photo: NTCC

In addition to their salary, the law stipulates that teachers are entitled to special allowances, responsibility allowances, allowances for disadvantaged areas, allowances for inclusive education, seniority allowances, mobility allowances, etc., which help to improve their overall income.

For preschool teachers, the law allows for early retirement up to 5 years before retirement without a reduction in pension if they have contributed to social insurance for 15 years. Meanwhile, professors, associate professors, doctors, or educators working in specialized fields may retire later to retain talent.

The Law on Teachers also grants the education sector the autonomy to recruit and employ teachers, helping to address policy bottlenecks, especially in solving the problem of teacher shortages and surpluses, and proactively planning for the future development of the teaching staff.

Besides the upcoming Law on Teachers, the Ministry of Education and Training has just announced a draft Decree on salary and allowance policies for teachers, attracting great attention from teachers nationwide.

According to the draft, all teachers will receive a special salary coefficient. Specifically, preschool teachers will receive a coefficient of 1.25, and teachers at other levels will receive 1.15 compared to the current salary coefficient. In addition, teachers are also proposed to receive supplementary allowances for responsibility, mobility, arduous work, hazardous and dangerous conditions, contributing to improved income and ensuring parity between professions.

When the Law on Teachers comes into effect, teachers will receive the highest salary in the public service sector. (Illustration: Van Hien)

The Ministry of Education and Training explains that currently, teachers' salaries are not ranked highest in the administrative and public service salary scale system, and in most cases are even lower than those of civil servants in other fields, despite the teaching profession requiring high professional qualifications and social responsibility.

In particular, preschool teachers are at the lowest rank among all teaching positions and lower than all other civil servants in various sectors and fields. Meanwhile, the working environment and the nature of the profession of preschool teachers have been proven in practice to be arduous.

Therefore, this adjustment aims to ensure balance between professions and affirm the position of the teaching staff.

Having dedicated nearly 35 years to her profession, Ms. Chu Thi Ly, a teacher at Sung La Ethnic Minority Primary School (Sa Phin commune, Tuyen Quang province), earns approximately 25-26 million VND per month, thanks to allowances for mountainous and border regions and seniority pay.

This is the result of decades of dedication by Ms. Ly to her classes under difficult conditions, teaching in the freezing cold, on winding red dirt roads leading to Lao Xa school - where students have to walk for hours to get to class.

Upon hearing the news that teachers will receive a salary increase and additional allowances starting in 2026, Ms. Ly emotionally stated that this is good news that teachers in mountainous areas have been waiting for for a long time, not only because it improves their income, but also because it shows recognition and appreciation for the teaching profession.

That joy was also shared by Ms. Mua Thi Duong, a teacher at Hua Thanh Kindergarten (Dien Bien). Having been dedicated to the profession for over 20 years, Ms. Duong said that the work of a kindergarten teacher is very demanding, requiring early mornings and late nights, with most of the time spent at school and little time for family.

"If income improves, life will be more stable, and we'll have less to worry about spending," Ms. Duong said, expressing her hope that the government will continue to pay more attention to and support teachers in mountainous areas – those who persistently stay in the classroom, keeping the passion for their profession and for children alive.

Joy is accompanied by concerns about the quality of teaching.

In just a short time, more than 1.2 million teachers will benefit from the new policy on salaries, allowances, and benefits. Mr. Nguyen Van Loi, Principal of Sung La Ethnic Boarding Primary School (Sa Phin commune, Tuyen Quang province), believes that the adjustment of salaries and allowances is a great source of encouragement for teachers. With improved income, teachers' lives will be more stable, allowing them to work with peace of mind and remain committed to the profession for the long term.

A classroom session at Nguyen Cong Tru Secondary School (Hanoi). Photo: VT

According to Mr. Loi, the new salary policy will not only help improve teachers' living standards but also attract young people to join the education sector. In reality, the school currently has almost no young teachers. Therefore, he hopes the policy will be implemented soon to attract young people to the highlands, contributing to solving the long-standing teacher shortage problem.

Mr. Nguyen Khac Hoan, a Literature teacher at Chu Van Thinh High School (Son La), shared that the increase in salaries and allowances not only improves living standards but also motivates teachers to focus on teaching and improve student quality. With stable income, teachers experience less pressure to make ends meet, reduce the need for extra tutoring, and dedicate more time to lectures and supporting weaker students, especially in disadvantaged areas.

The joy and expectations of the teaching staff show that the policy is not just about salary, but also about recognizing and honoring the teaching profession. However, after the joy, an open question remains: Will better income help end private tutoring and improve the quality of teaching? This is also an issue that opens up to another perspective.

The joy and expectations of teachers show that the policy is not only about income but also about recognizing and honoring the teaching profession. However, after that joy, the question arises: Will better income help reduce the practice of private tutoring and improve the quality of teaching?

(To be continued)

According to Dr. Vu Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Management Staff (Ministry of Education and Training), when the Law on Teachers comes into effect, there will be several legal documents, including 2 Decrees and nearly 20 Circulars guiding the Law on Teachers, which will be issued and come into effect simultaneously.

These documents play a crucial role in ensuring the effective implementation of the Law on Teachers throughout the entire system, helping the law's policies to be put into practice sooner, and enabling teachers to access better benefits and policies sooner.

Nguyen Hoai

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/tang-dai-ngo-giu-lua-nghe-bai-1-niem-vui-tu-chinh-sach.html