Local teacher surplus and shortage is not a new story, but if not resolved thoroughly, this will be a big problem, significantly affecting the development orientation of theeducation and training sector.
Lesson 2: “2 in 1” teacher: Has its advantages but is not always suitable
There is a shortage of teachers at all levels, which has significantly affected the development orientations of education and training.
Due to difficulties in recruiting new teachers, many schools in the province have had to increase the number of teaching hours for teachers, assign part-time teachers, and even have the principal participate in teaching classes... This has its advantages but also many disadvantages.
It is very difficult for schools to implement the new general education program.
In the 2023-2024 school year, Chau Thanh A High School, Chau Thanh A District, has 56 administrators and teachers. With a scale of more than 1,125 students studying in 26 classes, although this school year the school ensures enough teachers, it is currently in a state of local surplus and shortage in each semester.
Mr. Tran Thanh Hai, the school's principal, shared: "For teachers who are lacking in subjects such as national defense and security, music , and fine arts, the school has invited teachers from the area to teach. In the second semester, the school has a surplus of physics, biology, technology, and information technology teachers, so the school has to assign them to concurrently take on some additional tasks such as psychological counseling, school gardening, and equipment room management. Although this method puts more pressure on teachers because it is not their major, it helps them have enough hours according to regulations. The school assigns a maximum of 1 teacher to take on 2 extra functions outside of their major, while the remaining teachers who are lacking hours are assigned to concurrently take on the role of medical staff on a monthly rotation basis."
The 2018 general education program is being implemented from grades 1-4 in primary school, grades 6-8 in secondary school, and grades 10 and 11 in high school. The 2024-2025 school year will continue to be implemented for grades 5, 9, and 12. Implementing the new general education program has helped improve the quality of education and comprehensive development of students. However, the increase in the number of students each school year has caused many schools to fall into a situation of teacher shortage.
Considered the most difficult level of education, when studying under the new curriculum, students are required to choose a combination of elective subjects. Currently, most high schools have a clear distinction between elective subjects, with many students choosing subjects such as physics, chemistry, etc., with class sizes sometimes exceeding the regulation of 45 students. On the contrary, there are subjects with very few students choosing, with only about 25 students in a class, especially subjects such as geography, economic and legal education, technology, etc.
Mr. Dang Thanh Tung, Principal of Le Quy Don High School, Nga Bay City, confided: “Currently, the school has to rely on the enrollment plans of universities to balance the program, build appropriate combinations... because the ultimate goal of students is still to apply for university. In addition, we also have to ensure the number of periods for our teaching staff in all subjects, we cannot group one subject and leave out another, if we do so, there will be a local surplus or shortage of teachers”.
Anh Dao Kindergarten, Chau Thanh A district, basically has enough teachers to teach in all classes, but up to now the school still lacks medical staff, the school has to assign... a part-time accountant.
To overcome the situation of local “surplus - shortage” of teachers, many schools have to arrange teachers to teach interdisciplinary subjects such as geography - chemistry - biology; math - computer science... As for specific subjects such as physical education and music, according to regulations, teachers must have professional qualifications, be properly trained, and have the right major, but if there is no source of recruitment or surplus, they will be guest lecturers or assigned to teach in inter-schools.
Long-term solutions are needed to help teachers feel secure in their profession.
By January 2024, the whole province will lack 655 teachers and have a surplus of 20 teachers (3 primary school teachers, 17 secondary school teachers).
The shortage is clear, so why is there a surplus of teachers? According to the Department of Education and Training, the reason is that in the construction of subject combinations for students according to the regulations in Circular No. 13/2022, students choose 4 subjects from the selected subjects, there will be many subjects chosen, few subjects, leading to a surplus or shortage of teachers at certain times. Another reason may be due to the reduction in class sizes at schools...
In order to effectively implement the recruitment of civil servants to meet the 2018 General Education Program, the Department of Education and Training has advised the Provincial People's Council to issue Resolution No. 12, stipulating policies to attract teachers to teach English, IT, music, and fine arts at public general education institutions in Hau Giang province. Teachers of English, IT, music, and fine arts recruited or transferred from outside the province to public general education institutions are supported with 50 million VND/teacher. However, they must commit to teaching in Hau Giang for 5 years from the date of recruitment or transfer to the province.
To overcome the local "surplus - shortage" situation in the assignment and use of civil servants, the education sector has assigned teachers to teach in inter-schools according to the instructions in Official Dispatch No. 358 of the Department of Teachers and Educational Managers on the assignment of teachers to teach in inter-schools. Joint Instruction No. 1571 of the Department of Education and Training - Department of Home Affairs on the assignment of general education teachers to teach in inter-schools in Hau Giang province. However, teachers who teach in inter-schools have not yet received any support.
In addition, the education sector also assigns inter-school accounting work. Based on the Resolution of the Provincial People's Council, each inter-school accountant is supported with 2 million VND/month for part-time schools with 20 or fewer staff and 2.5 million VND/month for part-time schools with 21 or more staff.
To ensure sufficient teachers and staff for teaching, every year the Department of Education and Training consults on mechanisms and policies for teacher and staff contracts. In the 2022-2023 school year, implementing Resolution No. 15, the education sector will contract 307 teachers and 341 staff; in the 2023-2024 school year, implementing Resolution No. 21, 134 teachers, 62 staff, and 323 contract workers will support and serve.
At a recent working session with the provincial education and training sector, Mr. Dang Van Binh, Deputy Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Managers, Ministry of Education and Training, suggested to Hau Giang some ways to overcome the problem of teacher surplus and shortage. The province can invite retired teachers to re-contract; proactively find recruitment sources by placing training orders with schools with pedagogical majors or contacting colleges and universities to provide information on teacher recruitment in the province to students; increase autonomy for schools so that each unit can proactively find teachers based on the actual needs of the school instead of letting the industry recruit as before...
The whole province lacks 655 teachers (schools under the management of the Department of Education and Training lack 46 teachers, Vi Thanh city lacks 24 teachers, Vi Thuy district lacks 62 teachers, Long My town lacks 31 teachers, Long My district lacks 54 teachers, Phung Hiep district lacks 173 teachers, Nga Bay town lacks 45 teachers, Chau Thanh district lacks 71 teachers and Chau Thanh A district lacks 149 teachers), and has a surplus of 20 teachers (Vi Thanh city and Vi Thuy district each have a surplus of 7 teachers; Long My town has a surplus of 5 teachers; Chau Thanh district has a surplus of 1 teacher). The whole province has 314 preschool, general education and continuing education facilities. |
Article and photos: MY XUYEN
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