Nghe An: Teachers upset about being transferred

(Baonghean) - After receiving the list of expected transfers, Ms. Yen submitted a request and received confirmation from the school leadership about her health condition. However, Hung Nguyen district still decided to transfer her to another school with a distance 3 times longer than her old school...

On September 21, Mr. Ho Van Thang - Deputy Director of Vinh City General Hospital, said that patient Luu Mai Yen (43 years old, residing in Vinh Tan ward, Vinh City) is undergoing surgery for uterine fibroids. Ms. Yen was admitted to the hospital 3 days ago.

Also on this day, on Ms. Yen’s Facebook account, her son posted a “cry for help” to the leaders of Hung Nguyen district because they had to transfer his mother to a school too far away. “My mother is currently undergoing surgery. I beg you, when she recovers, please move her closer so she will be less in pain…”, Ms. Yen’s son wrote in the post.

Hoa Binh Primary School (Hung Phuc Commune, Hung Nguyen District) - where Ms. Luu Mai Yen worked before being transferred. Photo: Tien Hung

Ms. Luu Mai Yen is one of the teachers in Hung Nguyen district who is upset because she was transferred to teach at a school too far away, while she has many illnesses. At the age of 20, Ms. Yen graduated from Nghe An Pedagogical College and was assigned to Huu Duong commune, Tuong Duong district (now Huu Khuong commune, a commune located in the heart of Ban Ve hydroelectric reservoir) to "stay in the village".

After that, she was transferred to teach in Hung Loi commune (Hung Nguyen). Three years later (school year 1997 - 1998), she was transferred to work at Hoa Binh Primary School (Hung Phuc commune) and has been teaching here until now.

In August 2017, Ms. Yen received a list of teachers expected to be transferred according to the district's plan, according to which she would have to transfer to Hung Yen Nam Primary School, 22 km away from her home, while her old school was only about 8 km away. After presenting her wishes and health status with the confirmation of the school's leaders, Ms. Yen thought her wishes would be considered by the district's leaders.

However, on September 1, she was shocked to receive the decision personally delivered to her home by the principal. “I am currently suffering from many illnesses and am undergoing long-term treatment, such as heart disease, goiter, multiple thyroid nodules and multiple uterine fibroids. Transferring me to such a far away school will not give me enough strength to travel,” Ms. Yen said.

Ms. Yen said that on September 4, she submitted a petition to the district leaders to review her case with related medical records. A day later, she was invited to the district Education Department to work. “In the meeting room, because I was so upset, I had another attack of pain and fainted. I woke up at 8:00 p.m. at Vinh City General Hospital...”, Ms. Yen said. Confirming Ms. Yen’s illness, Principal of Hoa Binh Primary School Phan Thi Bich Lien said that in this case, the school leaders can only confirm the circumstances and condition of the illness to hope that the district leaders will consider it. The school does not have the authority to decide.

Meanwhile, Mr. Phan Xuan Loi - Principal of Hung Yen Nam Primary School, expressed concern that Ms. Yen's health would affect the teaching process. "Before Ms. Yen was transferred, the school had 7 teachers transferred out and 7 teachers transferred in," Mr. Loi said, adding that Ms. Yen had been working at the school for 3 weeks but had only been able to teach 5 sessions due to poor health. In the 3rd week of teaching, Ms. Yen asked the school for a long leave to be hospitalized for treatment.

According to research, Ms. Luu Mai Yen is not the only case in Hung Nguyen who is upset with the district's rotation work. At the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year, Hung Nguyen district rotated more than 130 teachers, most of whom were elementary school teachers.

Ms. NTH (43 years old, Trung Do ward, Vinh city) is one of them. “I have been teaching for more than 20 years, and for many years I was transferred to a remote school in Hung Yen Nam. But until now I am still transferred to the farthest commune in the district, Hung Trung commune,” Ms. H. said. Previously, it took less than 10 km from Ms. H.’s house to her old school, but now she teaches in Hung Trung, the distance is up to 26 km.

“This year at Hung Trung school, besides me, there are 3 other teachers from Vinh city who were transferred out. The distance is too far. Meanwhile, the transfer plan stipulates that the transfer only takes place within a radius of no more than 15 km from home,” said Ms. H.

Ms. Yen's son posted a cry for help on Facebook. Photo courtesy

Mr. Ho Van Hiep - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Nguyen district - the person assigned to preside over the district's teacher rotation project, affirmed that the transfer was discussed and agreed upon by 5 council members. "According to the project, those who have worked at a unit for 8-10 years are forced to transfer to another school. In the case of Ms. Yen, she has worked at Hoa Binh Primary School for 18 years. In her application, Ms. Yen only provided 1 medical examination book, some ultrasound papers and prescriptions, no medical records. Meanwhile, as a teacher, everyone gets sick...", Mr. Hiep said.

Mr. Hiep also said that according to the plan, those with serious illnesses will have their transfer postponed. However, the Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee did not give a definition of what is considered a "serious illness". "There is no regulation on what is considered a serious illness. But in my opinion, it could also be bedridden," Mr. Hiep said, adding that Ms. Yen's case "is not a serious illness" so she still needs to be transferred.

According to Mr. Hiep, the rotation project has been built and implemented over the past 3 years and he admits that emotional factors may influence rotation decisions of council members.

Tien Hung