Teachers' salaries are ranked highest: Is this feasible?

The issue of teachers' salaries being the highest compared to the administrative and public service salary scale has been discussed for over 10 years and clearly stated in Resolution 29-NQ/TW on fundamental and comprehensive reform of education and training. Currently, the draft Law on Teachers continues to propose this issue and has received positive feedback, along with analyses of its feasibility.

A glimmer of hope

According to Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW on salary policy reform, from July 1, 2024, teachers' salaries will change positively. This information, along with the proposals in the Draft Law on Teachers, has filled Ms. Nguyen Thi Trang, a teacher at a primary school in Soc Son district (Hanoi), with hope, as a salary increase has been her long-awaited wish.

According to Ms. Trang, if teachers' salaries were ranked highest within the administrative and public service salary scale, it would alleviate many concerns among teachers nationwide. Currently, teachers' salaries do not guarantee a decent standard of living; while the work of teachers is unique and different from other professions.

"Our job is teaching, which is closely linked to 'teaching people.' Like many teachers across the country, I always hope that the salary proposal in the Draft Law on Teachers will become a reality," Ms. Trang expressed.

The salary regulations are applied uniformly to all civil servants across all sectors and fields. This leads to shortcomings in failing to reflect the varying levels of complexity in different professions, including the specialized work of teachers.

Through interactions with constituents, Ms. Duong Minh Anh (Hanoi City National Assembly Delegation) noted that improving salaries and creating incentives for teachers to dedicate themselves is a desire of voters in the education sector. Therefore, the Government and relevant ministries and agencies need to provide clear information about the salary scale from July 1st. This will help teachers understand that the salary policy reform is correct.

The new salary will be higher.

The draft Law on Teachers proposes that teachers' salaries be given the highest priority compared to the administrative and public service salary scale system, Mr. Vu Minh Duc - Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Management Staff (Ministry of Education and Training) reiterated.

According to the draft law, the salaries and salary-related policies of teachers working in autonomous educational institutions shall not be less than the salaries and salary-related policies of teachers with the same level of training, seniority, and position in non-autonomous educational institutions; and shall not be lower than the regional minimum wage as stipulated by the Government. Teachers working in sectors and fields with specific conditions shall receive special benefits.

The Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Management Staff further explained that, according to Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW, basic salary accounts for 70% and preferential allowances account for 30%. The principle is that the education sector is entitled to preferential allowances based on profession. Teachers receive the highest preferential allowance among all professions eligible for such allowances.

The principle in implementing Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW is: The new salary will not be lower than the old salary. In cases where the new salary is lower than the teacher's current salary, the teacher has the right to retain the old salary. Therefore, teachers can rest assured that the new salary from July 1st will be higher than the old salary.

At the 7th Session of the 15th National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai presented the Government's report on the supplementary assessment of the results of implementing the socio-economic development plan and the State budget for 2023, and the situation in the first months of 2024. By the end of 2023, approximately 680 trillion VND had been allocated to implement the new salary policy.

Whether salary reform is feasible largely depends on financial resources. According to the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Dao Ngoc Dung, the biggest challenge is the lack of funds. However, this time, funds (680 trillion VND) have been secured and reported to the National Assembly. This salary reform has many new issues. The core is paying salaries based on job positions. To achieve this, job positions must be defined. Job positions have three characteristics: stability, long-term commitment, and regularity. Each job position is structured with a job description and a competency framework.

Regarding the reference level, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung stated that this is a new concept, replacing the basic salary. The reference level is calculated based on the CPI economic growth, actual revenue and expenditure. If the basic salary of 1.8 million VND is not abolished in the future, the reference level will continue to be this figure. After the implementation of Resolution 27, if the general salary level increases by several tens of percent, that will serve as the reference level.

Regarding the reference level, when implementing salary reform, the base salary (currently used as the basis for social insurance contributions, pension calculations, social benefits, and many other policies) will be abolished, explained Mr. Lam Van Doan, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly's Social Affairs Committee, at a press conference on the planned agenda for the 7th Session of the 15th National Assembly. Government agencies are calculating a suitable reference level, ensuring it is not lower than the base salary. National Assembly agencies are also conducting a comprehensive review and assessment of this issue.

According to Mr. Lam Van Doan, determining the specific reference level and multiplier at the time of salary reform, as well as its application in subsequent years, requires careful calculation to ensure that employees receive optimal benefits.

Hai Minh