Teacher rotation and transfer in Xiangyang: Towards long-term stability

(Baonghean) - To improve the quality of education, Tuong Duong district is implementing a policy to stabilize the organizational structure and limit the transfer of teachers between regions. In the 2016-2017 school year, the number of teachers transferred to disadvantaged and extremely disadvantaged regions was limited.

Restricted mobilization and rotation

Similar to the general situation in the whole province, for a long time, due to the large and fragmented nature of Tuong Duong district, remote communes and villages lack teachers, while more favorable areas have a surplus of teachers, so teachers often have to be mobilized in the form of military service from surplus and shortage areas (mobilization for a limited period).

In the 2014-2015 school year, Tuong Duong district mobilized 25 teachers to serve in difficult areas and transferred 27 teachers to favorable areas; in the 2015-2016 school year, mobilized 43 teachers to serve in difficult areas and transferred 37 teachers to favorable areas.

Classroom at a school of Luong Minh Primary School, Tuong Duong in a disadvantaged area. Photo: Thanh Cuong

However, through many years of implementation, one of the downsides of rotation is the lack of stability, causing many teachers to live far from home, making it difficult to travel, as well as disrupting professional work for schools; on the other hand, in public opinion there is information about "running to schools, running to classes" to avoid rotation or if rotation is necessary, to go to a more favorable area...

From the viewpoint of improving the overall quality of schools and the entire education sector, Tuong Duong determined that it was necessary to stabilize the organizational structure of schools; transferring teachers was not the best solution, but there needed to be a specific rotation plan, suitable to the professional requirements of the sector and the circumstances of teachers, towards long-term stability.

Provided additional 18 tons of rice to students in extremely disadvantaged areas in Tuong Duong.

However, to ensure the objectivity of the teacher rotation and transfer review process, Tuong Duong also focuses on considering professional needs and staff balance, as well as the wishes of individuals.

After organizing a meeting of leaders and professionals to review each case and each unit, the Department of Education and Training agreed with the Department of Internal Affairs and submitted the plan to the District People's Committee for approval by the Council to consider the rotation and transfer of educational managers, teachers, and staff of schools under its management authority according to decentralization, with the Chairman of the District People's Committee as Chairman of the Council.

Therefore, entering the new school year 2016 - 2017, Tuong Duong only mobilized and transferred 12 teachers for a limited period to work in Nhon Mai, Mai Son, Huu Khuong and Tam Hop communes; at the same time, 12 teachers who completed their limited-term tasks in Mai Son, Nga My and Nhon Mai communes returned to more convenient localities. In addition, this locality also decided to mobilize and transfer 70 teachers and staff for an indefinite period.

In these 70 cases, Tuong Duong based on the wishes of teachers and the professional needs of the industry to mobilize and rotate to areas that meet the needs, mostly areas that are classified as favorable according to the division of areas of the district or to stabilize the team, improve the quality of educational institutions according to the requirements of the department.

Towards dual goals

In the 2016-2017 school year, Xa Luong 1 Primary School, Xa Luong Commune, received 2 teachers out of 70 people who were transferred without a deadline. On the contrary, the school had 3 teachers including Ho Thi Huong, Luu Thi Soa and Dao Thi Hien transferred to work at Hoa Binh Town Primary School, in which Ms. Huong is a provincial-level excellent teacher. Talking to us, Ms. Dang Thi Thuy - a teacher at Xa Luong 1 Primary School said that she was very excited in the new environment, even though the school was more than 10 km from her home.

Physics class of students at Tuong Duong Secondary School for Ethnic Minorities. Photo: Thanh Tung

Or in Tam Quang commune, in order to meet the requirements of improving the quality of teaching and learning, Tuong Duong has transferred the Principal of Tam Quang 2 Primary School, located in Tung Huong village, to work as Principal of Yen Hoa 1 Primary School, Yen Hoa commune; conversely, a management staff member was transferred to take on the position of Principal at Tam Quang 2 Primary School.

However, in the process of implementing this policy in Tam Quang, the Education Department of Tuong Duong district still received feedback expressing concerns and lack of complete agreement from some teachers. In the general and individual open letter, 3 teachers of Tam Quang Kindergarten expressed their thoughts focusing on issues related to the mobilization and transfer of these individual teachers.

Discussing this issue, the Head of the Department of Education and Training of Tuong Duong district said: The transfer of teachers at Tam Quang Kindergarten is a solution to solve difficulties in the management of the school's board of directors as well as internal relations issues that have arisen since the 2013-2014 school year but have not been resolved.

On the other hand, the quality of child care and education at the school is assessed as not commensurate with the proportion of staff assigned. The annual teacher assignment rate here is among the highest in the district. In particular, in the 2015-2016 school year, internal problems at the school have become more complicated: Management is not strict and consistent; there are teachers who lack awareness of implementing policies implemented in the locality, teachers violate teachers' ethics, violate family planning but there is a lack of sharing and constructive comments internally...

Meanwhile, Tam Quang is a locality with advantages for educational development, parents are interested in students' learning. From that reality, Tuong Duong district agreed on the policy of transferring a number of teachers from Tam Quang Kindergarten to work in neighboring units. After consideration, based on the actual situation, the sector determined the number of transferred teachers will be taken from the list of proposed transfer according to the results of the School Council's poll on May 24, 2016 with 6 teachers with the highest number of proposed transfer votes.

On the other hand, a new principal has been assigned to Tam Quang Kindergarten. The above solutions aim to improve the effectiveness of management, improve quality and thoroughly resolve internal problems of the school.

Teacher Nguyen Thi Hoai is one of 6 teachers from Tam Quang Kindergarten who will be working at Yen Thang Kindergarten at the beginning of this school year. She said: When she received the decision, she happily accepted the new assignment and tried to fulfill her responsibilities as a teacher, even though she was further away from her family and her regional allowance had decreased. She also hopes that in a few years she will have the opportunity to return to Tam Quang Kindergarten to work.

However, teacher Nguyen Thi Hoa (born in 1975) still does not agree with this transfer and rotation plan for herself and has submitted a petition to all levels, even though she has been working at Tam Thai Commune Kindergarten since the beginning of this school year.

Tuong Duong District People's Committee also sent a written response to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, stating that her job transfer was due to professional and management requirements of the industry, not a temporary transfer to a difficult area according to Decision No. 2/2015 of Tuong Duong District People's Committee. Therefore, Ms. Hoa is not subject to temporary suspension or exemption from transfer.

In fact, these teachers, including Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, were mobilized and transferred to favorable areas equivalent to Tam Quang commune such as Tam Thai, Tam Dinh, Thach Giam, Yen Thang, not to particularly difficult or disadvantaged areas according to the district's classification.

Ms. Vy Thi Bich Thuy - Head of the Department of Education and Training of Tuong Duong district said: The viewpoint of the sector is to stabilize the situation and create changes in the quality of teaching and learning at Tam Quang Kindergarten. The mobilization and transfer of 6 teachers of Tam Quang Kindergarten without a time limit is also due to the requirements of the sector's tasks and is also an open viewpoint, not limited by time. If in the new working environment, these teachers stabilize their thinking and work well, the sector will mobilize and transfer them back to Tam Quang Kindergarten in the near future if the teachers have a need, in accordance with the general policy of the district to stabilize long-term working positions for teachers according to their wishes.

The policy of limiting the mobilization and transfer of teachers to extremely difficult and disadvantaged areas as implemented in the 2016-2017 school year in Tuong Duong has gradually brought about a "double" effect, which is the peace of mind of the teaching staff, gradually overcoming the shortcomings and limitations caused by the previous transfer and mobilization process, on the other hand, contributing to improving the quality of teaching and learning, helping to minimize negative manifestations in the annual transfer of teachers and staff.

It is possible that during the transfer and rotation process, the benefits of each specific teacher will be affected in some ways, such as the regional allowance being reduced compared to the old place, the distance to teach may be further, the school's facilities may not be as adequate...

However, with the common goal of improving the quality of education, which is still difficult in this mountainous district, surely every cadre and teacher in Tuong Duong in particular, and the whole province in general, is willing to share the difficulties and disadvantages together. Each teacher can add or subtract a part of personal benefits to stick together and contribute their best to the noble cause of educating people.

PV Group