Proposal to abolish permanent teacher positions: Is it feasible?

(Baonghean) - Recently, the Ministry of Education and Training's proposal to abolish the permanent employment status of teachers has received much attention from the public. According to some education administrators and teachers, this proposal is not really suitable for a province with many unique characteristics like Nghe An.

Stability is essential for peace of mind at work.

In the past, Nghe An's education sector had a period where thousands of preschool teachers were not on the official payroll. This was before 2011, when, apart from the mountainous districts, each locality had only one private preschool. The remaining more than 300 preschools throughout the province were private.

Under that system at the time, each school had only one principal on the payroll, whose salary was paid by the State. The school was under the management of the commune government, and from the vice-principal downwards, salaries were mainly paid by the cooperative and depended entirely on tuition fees. The provincial budget only provided a subsidy of 50,000 dong per teacher.

Recalling that time, many preschool teachers couldn't help but feel saddened by the meager and unstable salaries that didn't guarantee a decent daily life. Recalling this difficult period, Mr. Luu Duc Thuyen, Deputy Director and former Head of the Personnel Department of the Department of Education and Training, still remembers the image of many preschool teachers struggling to stay in the profession.

Teachers and students at Long Son Kindergarten (Anh Son). Photo: My Ha

Mr. Luu Duc Thuyen also stated that in the 2000s, the number of preschool students was not as large as it is now, so relying on tuition fees to pay teachers' salaries was very precarious. Besides paying salaries in cash, many cooperatives also paid teachers with rice and other agricultural products because the local budget was insufficient...

This difficulty was only truly resolved from 2011 onwards, after Decision No. 64/QD-UBND.VX on the conversion of semi-public kindergens was implemented. As a result, more than 300 semi-public kindergartens were converted into public schools and operate under a partially self-financing mechanism.

Simultaneously, more than 5,000 preschool teachers have been recruited into the permanent staff. This is also considered a major turning point for the province's education sector, contributing to improving the quality of the teaching staff and the quality of preschool education in the province.

Currently, although salaries for teachers in mountainous districts and communes under the 135 program have improved somewhat thanks to preferential policies from the Education sector, the lives of teachers in these areas remain very difficult. In this situation, without a separate mechanism and special policies, it will be difficult to attract teachers to these mountainous regions.

In fact, despite limited staffing quotas, Nghe An province has consistently prioritized teachers in mountainous areas over the years, particularly in terms of staffing allocation. This is partly to ensure that teachers feel secure in their work and remain committed to their profession.

Sharing his perspective, Mr. Chu Van Long, Head of the Personnel and Organization Department of the Department of Education and Training, said: "Teachers in mountainous areas face many disadvantages compared to other regions and need certain priorities. It is difficult to expect teachers to be dedicated to the profession if they are not on the payroll and do not have job stability."

Screening is necessary.

Although it is only a pilot program, the Ministry of Education and Training's proposal to abolish permanent employment for teachers is receiving considerable public attention, especially from teachers themselves.

Expressing his opinion, teacher Nguyen Duc The, from Quynh Thanh Secondary School (Quynh Luu district), said: “When we received this information, we were very worried. Personally, I think that abolishing the permanent employment status would have positive aspects because it would require each teacher to strive to improve their professional skills and qualifications. However, this would be difficult for older teachers and those with many years of experience because they wouldn't have much time for professional development. Moreover, it would affect their morale and livelihood.”

Teacher Tran Van Hanh - Vice Principal of Quynh Thanh Primary School (Quynh Luu) also said: “If the policy of abolishing permanent employment status is implemented, it will certainly affect the morale of teachers and require each teacher to strive harder if they do not want to be dismissed. However, implementation needs to be considered because it depends on each region and the specifics of each educational level. Currently, in our area, which is a unique commune, if permanent employment status is abolished, the school's budget will not be sufficient to pay teachers' salaries. Meanwhile, mobilizing funds from other sources is very difficult.”

Students at Chi Khe Primary School (Con Cuong district) during class time. Photo: My Ha

Regarding the pilot program to abolish permanent employment status in the education sector, teacher Tran Trung Hieu - a teacher at Phan Boi Chau High School for the Gifted - said: "This plan will give agencies and schools much more options in choosing their employees. Employees, especially young teachers who have just graduated, will have the right to choose their work environment and agency according to their abilities and circumstances."

Furthermore, this approach will eliminate the habit and mindset of relying on permanent employment as a guarantee of security, thereby motivating teachers to strive to perform their duties well, otherwise their contracts will be terminated.

However, many questions will arise that are not easily answered satisfactorily: What will the Ministry of Education and Training think and how will it act when administrators and teachers who have dedicated many years to the sector, who are already employed and receive salaries from the state budget, are no longer civil servants? What will their salary, benefits, titles, and achievements be like within their schools and educational institutions?

No one can definitively confirm the feasibility and effectiveness of this plan, but if opinions were solicited openly, democratically, and honestly nationwide, the number of teachers opposing it would be greater than those supporting it. This is because such a change would directly affect the morale, feelings, and livelihoods of over 1 million cadres, teachers, and staff nationwide.”

Regarding this issue, Mr. Luu Duc Thuyen, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training, stated that: Since 2003, the Government has issued Decree 116 on the recruitment, employment, and management of officials and civil servants in public service units. This decree includes specific regulations on the recruitment of teachers and contract staff, and the classification of civil servants.

In Nghe An province specifically, the "teacher screening" process was even more proactive when, in 2002, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 109 on the evaluation and classification of teachers and policies for teachers who did not meet job requirements. Thousands of teachers had to retire early because they did not meet the requirements.

This also shows that the evaluation and ranking of teachers is not only a priority when the pilot program to abolish permanent teacher positions is introduced, but it is a regular practice. This significantly contributes to improving the quality of the teaching staff and the quality of education in the province.

Therefore, the proposed plan by the Ministry of Education and Training to abolish permanent employment for teachers, aimed at improving teacher quality, is not entirely appropriate. If permanent employment is abolished, the first group to be affected will be the teachers who have dedicated many years to teaching in remote and disadvantaged areas. So, is abolishing permanent employment in the education sector feasible, especially in Nghe An province?

My Ha