From the proposal to exempt tuition fees for teachers' children: No privileges or benefits

Inequality should not be created.

Article 61, Clause 1 of the 2013 Constitution of Vietnam recognizes that education and training development is the top national policy of our Party and State. Therefore, it cannot be denied that teachers play a special role in the development of the country, because they are the team that imparts knowledge, forms the cultural and intellectual foundation for future generations. Therefore, giving priority to teachers to motivate and encourage them is also a legitimate reason. Many supporters of this proposal believe that teachers should enjoy certain privileges, because their job is not only to teach but also to inspire and sow seeds for the future.

In addition, with low salaries and work pressures, teachers often have difficulty balancing family life and professional responsibilities. Exempting their children from tuition fees can help reduce some of the financial burden, allowing teachers to better focus on teaching and improving the quality of education. This is a form of recognition of the teaching profession's dedication to society.

In addition, the Ministry of Education and Training's proposal is also to encourage and motivate the teaching staff to improve their skills and maintain their passion for their work. Because recently, the education sector has witnessed thousands of teachers quitting their jobs and leaving schools.

However, in general, we see that this is not reasonable and logical, because this proposal has a somewhat unfair priority nature between different occupational groups. If teachers are exempted from tuition fees for their children, the question is: How will workers and farmers be prioritized? While the Vietnamese Constitution affirms that workers and farmers play an important role in the development of the country, because they are the main forces in the worker-farmer alliance, led by the Communist Party of Vietnam to build and protect the socialist Fatherland. The Constitution emphasizes the rights of workers and farmers to participate in State and social management, as well as the right to ensure material and spiritual life, and to work in safe and reasonable conditions.

Workers and farmers are also a class that faces many difficulties and pressures in life, especially when the salaries and working conditions of many workers and farmers are currently inferior to those of teachers. They are also the pillars of labor, production, and contribution to the economic development of society. Therefore, this priority easily creates inequality between occupational groups.

Giving priority to a particular group such as teachers can result in other professions feeling overlooked. In a fair society, all people and all professions should be treated fairly and equally. Discrimination between professions, even if well-intentioned, if not properly implemented, can easily lead to social imbalance and cause dissatisfaction among other working classes.

Furthermore, it is important to recognize that education is not only the responsibility of teachers but also a shared responsibility of society, including families, other professions, and the State. Any priority given to education should be implemented comprehensively, ensuring that all children, regardless of their parents' occupation, have equal access to education.

Which solution ensures fairness?

Instead of prioritizing a specific group such as teachers, we can think of more comprehensive and equitable solutions. For example, the State can provide scholarships and support for the children of all low-income workers, regardless of their occupation. This will ensure that all children from disadvantaged families have the opportunity to have their tuition fees reduced, creating equality between different occupational groups.

The proposal to provide scholarships and support to the children of all low-income workers, regardless of their occupation, is a comprehensive and equitable approach to the education system. It gives all children from disadvantaged families, regardless of their parents' occupation, equal access to education.

Currently, many tuition assistance programs only focus on specific occupational groups, such as teachers, which, while meaningful, creates imbalances between other groups. Meanwhile, workers in other fields also contribute to the development of society and need to be supported fairly.

Ensuring this equality will contribute to reducing the gap between occupational groups and social classes, bringing long-term benefits not only to individuals but also to comprehensive socio-economic development. Supporting children from low-income families with scholarships will help remove financial barriers, allowing them to pursue their education and freely develop their potential, regardless of their family background.

Another way to solve this problem is to increase teachers' salaries and improve working conditions. Currently, teachers, although playing an important role in the career of cultivating people, often face difficulties in income. By increasing salaries, the Government not only improves the living standards of teachers but also creates spiritual motivation, helping them focus more on teaching and dedication. And in fact, in recent times, with the attention of the Party and the State, the salaries for teachers have improved significantly. Teachers' salaries are even among the highest among civil servants and public employees.

In addition, improving working conditions, reducing pressure and providing modern support tools will help teachers work more effectively. When teachers are economically secure and respected in society, they will have more enthusiasm and dedication in training future generations.

However, this support should be implemented in parallel with more comprehensive policies to ensure that all workers in society receive appropriate support based on actual needs, not just one occupational group. This will create a more harmonious and equitable social welfare system, while at the same time promoting sustainable development of the whole society.

Thus, it is clear that the proposal to exempt tuition fees for teachers' children is an effort to show concern for the education sector, not a bad idea to create inequality in society. The main and necessary thing here is to carefully consider the aspect of social justice. In the opinion of many people, in the context of difficult budgets, it is not possible to exempt tuition fees for all students, the education sector and the Government can consider exempting tuition fees for each specific level of education. And this will be more reasonable than exempting tuition fees for teachers' children.

Teachers certainly deserve support, but that priority should not come at the expense of workers in other professions. A progressive society is one in which everyone is treated equally, and all policies should be designed to be consistent with this principle.

So, to avoid creating unnecessary inequalities, we need more comprehensive and equitable support solutions that ensure that everyone has access to education and better living conditions, regardless of their parents' occupation.