Preschool teacher salaries are still low compared to the general level.

At the meeting of the entire education sector held this morning (August 15), Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that the salary of preschool teachers is still low compared to the general income level and compared to the effort teachers put in.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son at a meeting with teachers.

According to Mr. Nguyen Ngoc An, Chairman of the Vietnam Education Trade Union, before the meeting, there were over 6,500 questions sent by teachers. Of these, up to 2,000 questions were related to the issue of teachers' salaries and allowances, hoping that the minister would pay attention to the treatment of teachers, especially teachers working in remote areas.

Many teachers said that due to low salaries, teachers cannot make a living from their profession, so they have to take on extra jobs, making it difficult to devote themselves to their profession.

Teachers need to innovate, not be afraid...

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that the whole country has about 1.6 million preschool, primary, secondary, college, and university teachers...

According to Minister Nguyen Kim Son, the teaching staff is an important factor, the foundation for completing the innovation and improving the quality of education. He affirmed: "Developing the teaching staff is the solution of all solutions. Teachers are the most valuable asset of our industry."

At the same time, Mr. Son believes that in order to successfully implement the 2018 General Education Program, teachers need to innovate themselves, not be afraid, hesitant, or avoid innovation. “After 3-4 years of innovation, if each teacher looks back and does not see themselves as different from 3-4 years ago, there is no need to innovate. If they look back and see themselves as the same as before, how can education innovate?”, Mr. Son said.

According to Mr. Kim Son, it is necessary to change the role, position, teaching methods and teaching activities of teachers. Teachers should change from being knowledge transmitters to being guides, organizers and supporters so that students can develop their capacity and accumulate knowledge on their own.

Another important point is that teachers need to change their concept and the way they use textbooks. “In the previous program, we relied too much on textbooks. Textbooks are legal, the basis for teaching and learning, and testing cannot be done outside of the curriculum. We were rigid and dependent on textbooks. But this time, the program is unified nationwide, and textbooks are special learning materials,” said the Minister.

Minister Nguyen Kim Son emphasized that it is necessary to use textbooks proactively, without dependence, and to be able to use many sets of textbooks, and to use other materials and exercises flexibly. If we do not change the approach to textbooks, we will not achieve important innovation points.

Unreasonable treatment of preschool teachers

At the meeting, there were many opinions related to working conditions and unreasonable treatment for preschool teachers.

A teacher in Dien Bien said that preschool teachers here have to work 11 hours a day, with one teacher taking care of and teaching 30 children. Many teachers have to travel long distances, with many lurking dangers, to get to school. She hopes that preschool teachers will be given more attention to reduce hardship and danger.

A preschool teacher in Hau Giang shared directly at the meeting that while other workers work 8 hours/day, preschool teachers often work 10-12 hours/day.

The working environment of preschool teachers is full of risks because it involves young children. Teachers have to both take care of and teach, and face many problems: children who do not eat well, children who are disruptive, children with autism... so teachers also have to be nutritionists, early intervention psychologists...

Ms. Duong Thi Thanh Hong (Ha Tinh) said that the compensation policy for preschool teachers is still different from that of other education levels.

Ms. Hong gave an example: "Regarding the issue of appointing professional title ranks and salary rankings for preschool teachers. According to the regulations after the new salary transfer, the coefficient of a grade 2 preschool teacher is only equal to the salary coefficient of a grade 3 primary school teacher. I myself am an example, my current salary is level 5 but my salary coefficient is 3.65, while the salary of a grade 2 primary school teacher's level 5 has a coefficient of 5.36.

Thus, the salary difference between the two levels is too great. While each level has its own roles and difficulties. We are also well-trained, with college and university degrees. The work is specific, hard work, including watching lunch and overtime; always facing risks in ensuring the safety of the children. I respectfully request the Minister to pay attention to the ranking as well as the salary policy for preschool teachers in relation to teachers at other levels.

Bộ trưởng Nguyễn Kim Sơn: Mức lương giáo viên mầm non vẫn thấp so với mặt bằng chung

Compared to the general level, the salary of preschool teachers is quite low. (Photo: Nguyen Yen)

Understanding the hardships and difficulties of teachers

Minister Nguyen Kim Son said that the leaders of the Ministry of Education and Training understand the hardships and difficulties of teachers. The treatment of teachers in recent times has also been an issue of concern to the Government and there have been many policies for preschool teachers.

Currently, in addition to salary, preschool teachers also have preferential allowances, seniority allowances, attraction allowances, first-time allowances, one-time allowances when transferring jobs for teachers in remote, isolated, and disadvantaged areas... But according to Minister Nguyen Kim Son, the salary of preschool teachers is still low compared to the general income level and compared to the effort teachers put in.

According to the Minister, initially, the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Home Affairs have reached an agreement, planning to increase the preferential allowance for preschool teachers by 10%, and for primary school teachers by 5%. For the rest, there needs to be agreement with the Ministry of Finance, then through the Government... The increase, although small, is still a part to encourage and compensate preschool and primary school teachers.

The Minister also hopes to increase preferential allowances for teachers at all levels, but this will be implemented first for preschool and primary schools, and then other recommendations will be made.

The industry commander said: "The education industry has a very large number of salaried people, civil servants and public employees, accounting for more than 70% of the total number of civil servants and public employees nationwide. Therefore, each policy adjustment, no matter how small, needs to calculate resources and conditions. Therefore, we wish and recommend, but also need to be step by step and reasonable."

Teachers must set an example in many ways.

Minister Nguyen Kim Son emphasized that before guiding and orienting students in accessing social networks, teachers must set an example in many aspects, including how to deal with information on social networks. “Let us not forget that, in addition to our status as citizens, we also have the status of teachers. Our statements must be appropriate to the status of teachers, commenting on political and social stories and our own stories on social networks,” said the head of the Ministry of Education and Training.

At the same time, the Minister of Education and Training also reminded teachers: First, the team of educators needs to be steadfast in the path and goals of innovation and the strategic orientations of the industry. Second , it is necessary to persevere, persuade and mobilize parents as well as society to share and accompany. Third, it is necessary to resolutely fight against backward, conservative and negative manifestations, pursue the goal of quality with the goal of human development, strive to overcome all difficulties, compete to teach well no matter how difficult...

Source