On October 8, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave its second opinion on the draft Law on Teachers.

The draft law devotes Article 10 to regulating teachers' ethics. Accordingly, teachers' ethics are standards of perception, attitude and behavior in the relationship between teachers and students, colleagues, students' families and the community. Teachers' ethics are expressed through teachers' codes of conduct in performing their duties and in social relations appropriate to professional activities.

Article 11 of the draft law also stipulates what must not be done. It clearly states that teachers must not discriminate between students in any form; force students to participate in extra classes in any form; force students to pay money or material beyond the provisions of the law; publicize information about teachers' violations when there is no official conclusion from the competent authority in the process of considering discipline or prosecuting legal responsibility for teachers...

Breakthrough in the specifics of teachers

Concerned about these regulations, Head of the Delegation Working Committee Nguyen Thanh Hai shared: While building and discussing the draft Law on Teachers, there were some rather painful phenomena that affected the image of teachers and were being reflected in the media.

Ms. Hai cited the example of a teacher mobilizing parents to contribute money to buy computers or the image of a teacher being overly intimate with a student right in the classroom in front of students in a solemn pedagogical setting.

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Head of the Delegation Work Committee Nguyen Thanh Hai. Photo: QH

“Just this morning, I read in the newspaper that there were cases of many teachers and treasurers committing violations in collecting money from students, which were transferred to the investigation agency in Binh Thuan . I feel very sad,” the Head of the Delegation Affairs Committee shared.

Ms. Hai agrees with the provisions of the draft law on teachers' ethics such as standards of perception, attitude, and behavior in the relationship between teachers and students, colleagues, and students' families.

For example, there are many explanations that teachers' donations and overcharging may be due to low benefits and salaries for teachers.

"We must affirm that teachers have never been rich people in society. During the war, teachers were not rich financially but were still very rich in heart and morality, taking care of and tutoring students," Ms. Hai analyzed.

According to the Head of the Delegation Work Committee, the regulations on teachers' ethics lead to issues related to training and fostering for teachers. However, the draft law's regulations on training and fostering for teachers are presented somewhat briefly and sketchily.

"How to break through the specific points of the Law on Teachers", the Head of the Delegation Work Committee emphasized.

Ready to fix now, fix overnight, whenever possible

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man noted that this is an issue of concern to the education sector, but it is a very difficult law with a large scope of impact and many complicated contents.

With a spirit of urgency but with caution and thoroughness, the National Assembly Chairman requested the Government and the Ministry of Education and Training to pay close attention. Relevant ministries and branches, especially the Ministry of Justice, must "guard the door" for this law in terms of technicality, without incorrect words, sentences, content, or overlap with other laws.

If the draft law is detailed and thorough, meeting all requirements, it can be approved in two sessions, the 8th and 9th. If the consensus of the National Assembly is not high and there are many opinions, it can be approved in three sessions.

"Until now, without this law, teaching activities have continued normally. We must make this law to ensure longevity," said the National Assembly Chairman.

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Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son. Photo: QH

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son affirmed that with a high spirit of determination and openness, the drafting agency is ready to make immediate revisions, night revisions, and revisions until it is done.

"In the conversation with 1.6 million teachers in the whole industry, it must be said that teachers are looking forward to and expecting the Law on Teachers," said Minister Nguyen Kim Son.

Regarding opinions on teachers' ethics, the Minister of Education and Training said that when building the drafting committee, they also considered some detailed contents that were already shown in the codes of conduct, and in other contents, so they should not be specifically regulated in the law.

The Minister continued to commit to fully absorb comments and suggestions and complete the draft law to submit to the National Assembly in the next session.

Draft 5 of the Law on Teachers, consisting of 9 Chapters and 45 Articles (26 Articles less than the draft submitted on September 6), is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for discussion at the upcoming session.

The regulation that teachers can retire before the age of 55 will create privileges and benefits.

The regulation that teachers can retire before the age of 55 will create privileges and benefits.

The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly proposed to review the regulation that "teachers can retire before the age of 55 but without having their pensions deducted". This is because such a regulation would create "privileges and benefits" and contradict the recently passed Law on Social Insurance.
'If teachers are removed from public service, it will be a huge loss'

'If teachers are removed from public service, it will be a huge loss'

Associate Professor Dr. Le Minh Thong said that if teachers are removed from the Civil Servants Law as in the draft Law on Teachers, it will push 70% of civil servants out of the State civil service sector, which is a huge disadvantage for teachers.