Reforming the salary system so that teachers can teach with peace of mind

Attending and chairing the conference were Deputy Heads of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation: Nguyen Thanh Hien and Tran Van Mao. Photo: Thanh Le

Ensuring income for teachers

Giving opinions on amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Education, the issue of teachers' salaries is the content that many delegates proposed. According to Mr. Nguyen Dong Duc - Deputy Head of the Democracy and Law Committee of the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, currently teachers' salaries are generally low, especially at the preschool and general education levels.

Therefore, there needs to be a mechanism and policy to resolve this issue. "It is necessary to include in the law the content of amending the salary mechanism in education to ensure that teachers can live on their salary" - Mr. Duc said.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Nguyen Trong Be - Head of the Political - Ideological Department, Department of Education and Training said: Resolution 29-NQ/TW stated that "Teachers' salaries are ranked highest in the administrative career salary scale system"; however, in reality, teachers' salaries are still very low.

"I propose that the Government study and reform the salary regime for civil servants and public employees in the education sector so that cadres, civil servants and public employees can live on their salaries so that they can work with peace of mind and contribute more," Mr. Be proposed a solution to institutionalize the Party's viewpoint in Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW into the Education Law.

A classroom in Bao Nam commune, Ky Son district. Photo courtesy

Opinions also suggest that there should not be too many sets of textbooks. The educational program must ensure modernity, stability, unity, flexibility, practicality and rationality; inheritance between levels of education and training; creating conditions for streaming and connection.

Rethinking university president standards

The conference also spent time discussing the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Higher Education. Delegates suggested that the law should stipulate the right to self-determination for the school council, so that the activities can be put into practice.

Associate Professor, Dr. Cao Truong Sinh - Vice Principal of Vinh Medical University gave a speech and contributed his opinion. Photo by Thanh Le

Therefore, it is necessary to have regulations that the school board has the right to supervise and, when necessary, organize inspections of the principal's operations in terms of expertise, construction of facilities, sources of revenue and financial expenditure, and financial settlement according to the provisions of law.

The law also needs to review the standards for university principals, especially non-public universities; at the same time, there must be more specific regulations on autonomy in universities and there should be consistency in regulations on the governing bodies of universities, etc.

Concluding the conference, Deputy Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation Nguyen Thanh Hien highly appreciated the spirit, responsibility and quality of the delegates' contributions.

The opinions contributed at the conference will be received and synthesized by the Provincial National Assembly Delegation to be submitted to the upcoming 5th session of the 14th National Assembly.