Volunteer to retire early for common development

In every stage of the country's development, there are always people who silently contribute, willing to sacrifice personal interests for the common good. They are those on the front lines fighting natural disasters, epidemics or adversity...; and in the current context, they are also cadres, civil servants, and public employees - those who have chosen to leave their positions earlier than expected, to retire before their age. Behind that decision is a wholehearted devotion to the community, to the organization, and to the sustainable development of the country.

Provincial Police leaders presented decisions and flowers to congratulate the department heads who retired early (from March 1, 2025). Photo: Thuy Trang

• THE DECISION TO LEAVE EARLY SHOWS HIGH RESPONSIBILITY

The fact that officials, especially leaders and managers, voluntarily resign from their jobs while still of working age is not only a sacrifice, but also an example to promote the smoothness of the apparatus streamlining revolution.

According to information from the Department of Home Affairs of Lam Dong province, as of March 17, 2025, 178 local officials and civil servants had submitted applications for early retirement according to Decree 178/2024/ND-CP of the Government. In 2024, Lam Dong province resolved the staff streamlining regime for 71 cases; of which, 62 cases retired early and 9 cases quit immediately. The total cost of implementing staff streamlining for the above 71 cases is 15.4 billion VND; of which, the case of early retirement is 12.1 billion VND and the case of immediate quitting is 3.3 billion VND.

Lam Dong Province Department of Home Affairs said that it is currently continuing to review and receive applications for retirement and resignation according to Decree 178. At the same time, the department is also assessing merger plans according to the direction of the Central and the province.

Da Lat City alone has received applications from nearly 80 officials, civil servants and public employees who registered for early retirement according to Decree 178 of the Government to facilitate the arrangement of commune-level administrative units; of which, there are about more than 40 officials and civil servants at ward and commune levels who applied for early retirement or quit their jobs, or retired due to not being old enough to be re-elected, not meeting the requirements for qualifications, degrees, or health reasons, etc. to facilitate the arrangement of commune-level administrative units.

In the current administrative apparatus, streamlining the payroll is an urgent requirement to build a streamlined, efficient public administration, in line with the process of reforming and modernizing state management. But behind those dry payroll reduction figures are the stories of thousands of people across the country, hundreds of people in provinces and cities who have proactively applied for early retirement. They voluntarily apply for retirement not because they are no longer able to contribute, but to create conditions for the younger generation to have the opportunity to develop, so that the apparatus can rejuvenate, innovate, and meet the increasingly high demands in the period of digital transformation and international integration.

A femaleeducation official shared: “I could have stayed a few more years and enjoyed the full benefits. But I chose to retire early so that a young teacher could be appointed to my position. They have new thinking, enthusiasm and are sensitive to technology - something our generation may lack.”

• SILENT SACRIFICES

Deciding to retire early is not as simple as leaving your desk a few years early. It also involves financial and social sacrifices, and even a sense of loss and change from a routine you have been accustomed to for decades.

Colonel Truong Minh Duong - Director of the Provincial Police shared: Through meetings, unit activities, party cell activities..., Party committees and leaders of the Public Security at all levels regularly propagate and disseminate to cadres and soldiers the policy of continuing to innovate and streamline the organization and apparatus of the Ministry of Public Security to make it lean and effective; affirming that Party committees, cadres, party members and soldiers of the People's Public Security always agree with and trust the policies and guidelines of the Party and State, are highly exemplary and determined to successfully implement the policies of the Party, State and the Ministry of Public Security. The specialized department has regularly promoted the example of cadres and party members who voluntarily resign before the deadline, creating favorable conditions for the process of arranging and streamlining the organization and apparatus. Thereby, affirming and spreading the spirit of "Those who stay are to shoulder the work of the Party and State; those who resign are also for the Party, State, and People".

Comrade Nguyen Trong Anh Dong - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Organization Committee shared that the drastic direction of the Politburo and the Central Party Secretariat has created unity from the Central to the local level, in which the Central is exemplary; creating unity in the issue of staffing; which team stays, which team volunteers to retire early. The issuance of Decree 178 has created a corridor for cadres to see that when the policy is strong enough, the team of cadres, civil servants and public employees will voluntarily resign to help the State arrange and streamline the organizational apparatus in the most effective and fastest way. They voluntarily resign early also because they aim to build a more streamlined and professional apparatus. Besides, it also demonstrates the spirit of personal responsibility associated with collective interests.

In the process of reforming the administrative apparatus and building a streamlined, effective and efficient civil service, there is a silent force that has made an important contribution to that transformation: those who volunteered to retire early. Without making noise or demanding, they accepted to step back to create conditions for the rejuvenation of the team, organizational innovation and to support the country's sustainable development steps.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/xa-hoi/202504/xung-phong-nghi-huu-truoc-tuoi-vi-su-phat-trien-chung-cfe2259/