Having staff, but nearly 1,000 preschool teachers are still waiting to be recruited

Waiting for the official position

Having taught on contract for 16 years, after failing many times the recruitment exam for the official position, nearly a year ago, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai (38 years old) cried tears of joy when she received the information that Nghe An province had made a decision that cases like her would be recruited into the official position. However, since then, Ms. Mai has been waiting wearily.

“Up to now, no one has announced to submit applications for admission or entrance exam. We don’t know why,” said Ms. Mai.

This is one of more than 1,700 preschool teachers with contracts 06 and 09 that Nghe An province has decided to recruit into the payroll. (Teachers who sign labor contracts according to the provisions of Decree No. 06/2018/ND-CP dated January 5, 2018 of the Government and Joint Circular No. 09/2013/TTLT-BGD DT-BTC-BNV).

Ms. Mai is currently a contract teacher at Minh Thanh Kindergarten, Yen Thanh District. After graduating from Hue Academy of Music in 2007, Ms. Mai taught at Minh Thanh Primary School on a contract basis. In 2016, she studied for a secondary preschool diploma and transferred to this level to teach on a contract basis under Circular 09 with a salary and allowances equivalent to that of a civil servant. Although her benefits and income have improved a lot, like many other teachers, Ms. Mai said that her greatest wish is to be on the payroll.

But in the 2022 recruitment round, Ms. Thanh Mai was not selected for the position of Primary School Music Teacher. Talking about this result, she shared that “I am very sad, and do not want to wait any longer”.

About 10 years ago, Nghe An was facing a serious shortage of teachers. Meanwhile, the education sector was implementing universal preschool education for 5-year-olds. Based on this reality, Nghe An requested funding from the Central Government to recruit contract teachers, in order to ensure the number of teachers in the classroom according to regulations and meet the conditions to be recognized as universal education for 5-year-olds from 2016.

Therefore, since 2013, Nghe An province has had a total of more than 2,500 preschool teacher labor contracts that have been provided with stable funding from the central budget. Teachers sign indefinite-term labor contracts and enjoy full benefits and policies as civil servants according to Decree 06/2018/ND-CP and Joint Circular No. 09/2013/TTLT - BGDĐT - BTC - BNV, with an average budget of 160 billion VND/year.

In recent years, when there are quotas, the People's Committees of the districts have prioritized the recruitment of these contract teachers into civil servants. By the end of 2021, Nghe An province only has 1,777 teachers with labor contracts 06 and 09. However, according to regulations, from the beginning of 2022, they will not be able to continue receiving salaries from the central budget. Therefore, in 2022, in some localities, these teachers have been owed salaries for many months in a row...

In that situation, on October 25, 2022, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 3298/QD-UBND of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to supplement 2,820 teacher positions for the 2022-2023 school year, along with detailed allocations to 21 districts and cities, as well as the Department of Education and Training. After reaching an agreement with the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Education and Training issued a document guiding the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns to recruit civil servants in the education sector for the 2022-2023 school year and the following years.

According to this document, localities need to recruit preschool teachers who have signed labor contracts according to the provisions of Decree No. 06/2018/ND-CP dated January 5, 2018 of the Government and Joint Circular No. 09/2013/TTLT-BGD DT-BTC - BNV who are teaching at public preschools in districts, cities and towns. In the process of recruiting this subject, if the teacher has the qualifications that meet the standards according to the 2019 Education Law, during the working process is assessed to have completed the task or higher, based on the targets assigned by the Provincial People's Committee, the District People's Committee will develop a recruitment plan, send it to the Department of Home Affairs for appraisal and submit it to the Provincial People's Committee for approval. Organize the recruitment of all the above teachers,Completion date before January 30, 2023.

Many localities are slow in recruiting.

Although the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Home Affairs have agreed to require localities to recruit all these teachers before January 30, 2023, according to the investigation of Nghe An Newspaper reporters, so far only 9 districts and towns have completed the recruitment. Therefore, up to now, Nghe An province still has nearly 1,000 preschool teachers on contract types 06 and 09. Of these, Yen Thanh district is the locality with the largest number, with 238 people.

Discussing this issue, Mr. Nguyen Van Thuan - Head of the Internal Affairs Department of Yen Thanh district said that the unit is developing a plan to announce recruitment. "We will try to finish before the new school year. The district's viewpoint is to put all 238 teachers on the payroll with contract 06 and 09", Mr. Thuan said.

Similarly, in Quynh Luu district, there are 169 kindergarten teachers with contracts of type 06 and 09, however, up to now, all of these people have not been recruited into the payroll. Head of the Department of Internal Affairs of Quynh Luu district, Mr. Nguyen Huu Bo, said that the district is currently collecting applications from teachers. On July 20, after the deadline for submitting applications, the recruitment process will begin.

In Nghi Loc district, there are currently 19 teachers in categories 06 and 09. Previously, the district People's Committee issued a recruitment notice and teachers have 1 month to submit their applications (May 24 - June 25). Mr. Nguyen Van Dung - Head of the Department of Internal Affairs of Nghi Loc district said that according to the plan, Nghi Loc district is expected to hold the exam at the end of June. "However, because the locality "ordered" Vinh University to set the exam questions, but because the school was stuck with year-end enrollment work, the process was delayed. We are expected to organize the exam this weekend and announce the results next week," said Mr. Dung.

In Hung Nguyen district, Mr. Hoang Nghia An - Head of the district's Education Department also said, "The district is conducting the recruitment process for 50 contract preschool teachers in categories 06 and 09 and has issued a recruitment notice.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung - Head of Vinh City's Department of Internal Affairs said that on June 9, 2023, Vinh City People's Committee issued Official Dispatch No. 2972/UBND-NV on the recruitment of civil servants in the city's Education and Training sector. Accordingly, Vinh City People's Committee requested the Provincial People's Committee to allow the recruitment of 112 preschool teacher labor contracts of the city according to Decree No. 06/2018/ND-CP, Joint Circular No. 09/2013/TTLT-BGDĐT-BNV into the payroll.

On June 28, 2023, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Official Dispatch No. 5239/UBND-TH on the structure, titles, positions, and number of people accepted, recruited, and contracted to work in agencies and units, thereby agreeing with the city's recruitment proposal on contract recruitment of preschool teachers. "We have received the province's recruitment plan and the city has also developed a plan. We expect to post the announcement next week and complete the recruitment before September. The city's view is that all teachers in categories 06 and 09 will be recruited. However, if any teacher fails to complete their tasks this school year, they will have to be reviewed," said Mr. Tung.

According to the latest statistics, up to now, only 9 localities have completed the recruitment of preschool teachers with contracts of type 06 and 09. These localities include: Cua Lo town, Con Cuong district, Dien Chau, Nam Dan, Nghia Dan, Que Phong, Quy Chau, Quy Hop and Hoang Mai town.