concerns about fairness

There can't be too many "privileges"

At the 38th session of the National Assembly , explaining the opinions of the National Assembly Standing Committee and the preliminary examination of the National Assembly Committees on the Draft Law on Teachers, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said: The Draft Law on Teachers is expected to create breakthrough policies to develop the teaching staff in the context of globalization and the rapid development of information technology.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son reports at the National Assembly.

One of the controversial policies in the Draft Law on Teachers is the proposal that the State will pay tuition fees for biological and legally adopted children of working teachers from kindergarten to university. Based on the age of the teacher and the estimated age of the child, the additional tuition fee that needs to be paid annually is about 9,200 billion VND/year.

Giving his opinion during the discussion, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh said that the bill stipulating tuition exemption for biological and legally adopted children of teachers while working is very humane but implementation is not easy.

"How should this be regulated or should the Government regulate it in the direction that there will be support policies for teachers facing difficulties, not written into the law. Incentives and special regimes are acceptable, but privileges and benefits should not be," Mr. Dinh suggested.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man also pointed out that tuition exemption for children of teachers who are still working can only be applied in public schools, and is very difficult to apply to private institutions. Therefore, he suggested that the drafting agency consider carefully. In addition, it is necessary to clarify the conditions to ensure salary policies, allowances and support policies for teachers.

The National Assembly Chairman cited that, according to the Government's report, the tuition exemption policy for teachers' children alone requires more than VND9,200 billion each year. "Where does this source come from, where does it come from to allocate annual spending? We must evaluate more carefully to ensure feasibility and fairness in relation to other priority subjects" - Mr. Tran Thanh Man said.

The National Assembly Chairman pointed out that this is a law that the education sector is interested in, but it is a difficult law with a large and complex impact. Therefore, he requested the Government and the Ministry of Education and Training to pay close attention and urgently, cautiously and thoroughly consider it.

Speaking to the press, National Assembly member Pham Van Hoa (Dong Thap delegation) disagreed with the above proposal. According to him, teachers are civil servants and cannot have too many "privileges and benefits" compared to other civil servants. Due to difficult living conditions, teachers' salaries are being proposed to be ranked highest in the administrative career salary scale system. Teachers also receive more professional allowances than other civil servants. If they teach far away, teachers can even stay in official residences.

“It is right to increase salaries, even very high ones, for teachers, but nothing should be free, including tuition for teachers’ children. We cannot turn one injustice into another. In a society, every legitimate profession needs to be respected and given equal priority…”, delegate Pham Van Hoa expressed.

Expressing their opinions on the proposal of the Ministry of Education and Training, many opinions in the public expressed disagreement. Reader Tran Hanh said: “In the near future, teachers will be ranked at the highest salary level in the administrative career salary scale. That shows gratitude and special respect for the teaching profession, so the policy of exempting tuition fees for teachers' children should not be applied. Teaching is also a job to earn a living like other professions and has an income. Therefore, children of other professions have to pay fees to go to school, so teachers' children should do the same.”

“If teachers’ children are exempted from tuition fees, then doctors’ children should also be exempted from hospital fees and medical services; children in the electricity industry should not have to pay electricity bills… Assuming that every profession makes proposals about internal benefits, it will have a negative impact on the stability of society,” reader Nguyen Dang Dung frankly said.

Reader Truong Kim Ngan shared: “Each person has a different job, and each job is equally difficult. Everyone has to work to make a living, so such policies should not be implemented to ensure fairness.”

Need to consider carefully

Teaching is a special profession.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Xuan Nhi, former Deputy Minister of Education and Training, said that if a teacher truly practices his profession, that is, devotes all his heart and soul to teaching, closely follows the development of students, always maintains communication with students' families; actively studies to improve professional qualifications, then the State should give preferential treatment to teachers' contributions by exempting tuition fees for their own children.

“Exempting tuition fees for teachers’ children shows the concern, gratitude and respect of society for the teaching profession and also creates conditions for teachers to focus on teaching well and improving the quality of education. Therefore, exempting tuition fees for teachers’ children is very worthy,” said former Deputy Minister of Education and Training Tran Xuan Nhi.

“I support the proposal to exempt tuition fees for teachers’ children because it is very meaningful in motivating teachers and contributing to attracting human resources to the education sector. However, it is still necessary to research and carefully consider how to implement it properly, not causing budget imbalance and ensuring social justice,” said a manager at a secondary school in Cau Giay district.

“If the above proposal is implemented, it will be a very good thing; it shows the humanity and concern of the Party and State for those working in teaching. Currently, the police and military sectors have a special mechanism for adding points for children of police officers and soldiers applying for admission to the sector and a number of related policies. If the education sector has a special preferential policy for teachers' biological children, it will be very valuable and have social significance,” said Hoang Chi Sy, Principal of Luu Hoang High School (Ung Hoa district).

As a teacher with more than 10 years of experience, Ms. Nguyen Phuong Nga (Dong Da district, Hanoi) was moved and grateful for the contents of the Draft Law on Teachers because it contains many humane policies, sharing, understanding, respect for the teaching profession and helps to improve the status of teachers. However, Ms. Nga understands that our country's economy is still difficult; moreover, having met many students' families, she found that every industry is difficult, so teachers' children must also pay tuition fees like other students.

“To me, teaching is a special profession; but it is also one of hundreds, thousands of professions in society. Education officials should also be normal officials and the teaching profession should not be separated from the general occupational system,” teacher Nguyen Phuong Nga expressed.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/de-xuat-mien-hoc-phi-cho-con-giao-vien-ban-khoan-ve-tinh-cong-bang.html