Qualified teachers are still "stuck" at the promotion quota.
Promotion to a higher professional rank is the aspiration of many teachers. However, promotion is proving difficult due to the limited number of positions available as stipulated by regulations.
Qualified but lacking in quotas.
Nghi Truong Kindergarten in Dong Loc commune has just completed the review and compilation of cases of teachers who meet the criteria for promotion within the school. Out of a total of 25 staff and teachers, 8 have already been ranked as Grade II teachers (35%). The remaining 17 teachers are currently Grade III teachers, and 13 of them meet the promotion criteria as stipulated.
Ms. Hoang Thi Tra, born in 1992, said: "I have been in the profession for over 10 years and now, with a salary coefficient of 3.03, my monthly income is about 9 million VND. Over the years, despite the busy work of a preschool teacher, I have always tried to participate in excellent teacher competitions, develop innovative teaching methods, and consistently perform my duties well and excellently. In the last 5 years, I have been awarded the title of outstanding worker at the grassroots level many times, received Certificates of Commendation from the Education Union of Nghi Loc district (formerly), and meet all the requirements for promotion according to regulations."
Despite meeting all the criteria, Ms. Hoang Thi Tra and many other teachers at the school still have many concerns and worries about being promoted from Grade III to Grade II because the promotion process currently depends on many other factors besides the "hard" criteria as stipulated, the most important of which is the overall percentage of the entire school. "I hope that the management at all levels will provide clear guidance and a preferential mechanism so that all teachers are guaranteed their rights and can work with peace of mind," Ms. Tra added.
The teachers' concern, and also the "difficulty" faced by Nghi Truong Kindergarten, is that currently, the number of qualified teachers is quite high, but according to regulations, it must be capped at no more than 50%.
I believe all teachers deserve promotion. However, if we had to base it on a percentage, the number of teachers considered would be very low, and the school would face significant difficulties in making the selection. For now, we require teachers to compile a complete list of their achievements during their time working, and this will be one of the criteria for consideration and selection...
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa - Principal of Nghi Truong Kindergarten
Previously, recognizing the difficulties involved in teacher promotion, the People's Committee of Dong Loc commune, when issuing a document to schools, requested that schools thoroughly review the current status of professional titles, propose specific targets that closely align with the job position plan. In addition, teachers also needed to provide complete personal documentation proving their eligibility to ensure that the promotion process was carried out according to regulations.
Mr. Dang Dinh Ky, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: "The promotion process directly affects the rights of teachers, so we require all units to implement it seriously, objectively, and transparently. However, some difficulties have arisen during implementation, such as comparing standards and discrepancies between the need for promotion and the assigned quotas. Therefore, the locality will continue to coordinate with the education sector to carefully review and ensure the legitimate rights of teachers, while also ensuring compliance with regulations and local practices."
At Nguyen Trai Primary School in Vinh Hung Ward, there are currently 10 teachers who meet the criteria for promotion from Grade III to Grade II. However, according to regulations, only 8 will be considered, making the selection process quite challenging.
"Among the qualified teachers, the one with the longest service is 19 years, while the one with the shortest service is 9 years. The current problem is that teachers with many years of dedication and service do not achieve as outstanding results in competitions as younger teachers who have won many awards at competitions."
Therefore, relying solely on achievements could easily disadvantage those with seniority, while considering long-term contributions lacks a concrete basis for comparison.”
Ms. Nguyen Thi Tinh - Deputy Principal of Nguyen Trai Primary School
Ensure the correct ratio is maintained.
In early April 2026, the Department of Education and Training sent a document to the People's Committees of communes and wards, requesting a review of teachers' professional titles. Areas that have not exceeded the prescribed structure should develop a plan to organize promotion examinations, ensuring the rights of teachers.
Immediately after receiving the guidance document from the Department, localities promptly sent documents to schools to conduct a review, compile statistics, and create a list of qualified teachers. The proposed list of teachers for promotion must be based on the prescribed ratios, with no more than 10% for Grade I, no more than 50% for Grade II, and no more than 40% for Grade III.
The reality also shows that, despite the rateteacher promotionIn Nghe An, the average education level is quite high, but there is an uneven distribution across different educational levels, between schools, or between different localities.
According to the Department of Education and Training's summary, as of now, in Nghe An province, 4 preschool teachers have been promoted to rank I (0.03%), 3,972 teachers have been promoted to rank II (32.82%), 8,070 preschool teachers are currently at rank III (66.69%), and 55 teachers are at rank IV (0.45%).
For primary school level, 6 teachers have been promoted to rank I (0.04%), 6,937 teachers have been promoted to rank II (50.10%), and 6,736 teachers are currently in rank III (48.65%) and 168 teachers are in rank IV (1.21%).
Meanwhile, at the lower secondary level, 347 teachers were promoted to rank I (3.35%), and 8,593 teachers were promoted to rank II (83.01%). In addition, 1,397 teachers are currently rank III (13.49%) and 15 teachers are rank IV (0.14%). For the upper secondary level, out of nearly 5,500 teachers, almost 1% are rank I, 45% are rank II, and the remainder are rank III.
Based on the ongoing review at the grassroots level and the shortcomings that have arisen...Regarding the control of promotion rates, Mr. Nguyen The Luc, Deputy Head of the Personnel and Organization Department of the Department of Education and Training, stated that the review at the grassroots level is only the first step.Meanwhile, determining promotion targets must be based on the job position plan, the actual needs of each locality and unit, and current regulations. The principle is to ensure the right people meet the right standards, while maintaining a reasonable workforce structure across different job titles.
During the implementation process, the Department also requested units to conduct thorough reviews, ensure transparency, and provide full reports for compilation, consideration, and submission to competent authorities for decision-making.”
Mr. Nguyen The Luc - Deputy Head of the Personnel and Organization Department, Department of Education and Training
Mr. Nguyen The Luc also stated that opinions and suggestions from the grassroots level will be received and compiled for research and appropriate adjustments during the implementation process, in order to ensure the legitimate rights of teachers and create fairness throughout the entire sector.
