Vietnam: What is the current teaching lesson norm per week for lower secondary school teachers?

What is the current teaching lesson norm per week for lower secondary school teachers in Vietnam?

Under Article 6 of the Regulations on working policies for general education teachers issued together with Circular 28/2009/TT-BGDDT (supplemented by Clause 5, Article 1 Circular 15/2017/TT-BGDDT), the teaching lesson norm per week for teachers is stipulated as follows:

Teaching lesson norm

The teaching lesson norm is the number of theoretical or practical lessons that each teacher must teach in a week. Specifically:

1. The teaching lesson norm for primary school teachers is 23 lessons, lower secondary school teachers is 19 lessons, and high school teachers is 17 lessons.

2. The teaching lesson norm for teachers at boarding ethnic secondary schools is 17 lessons for the lower secondary level, 15 lessons for the upper secondary level.

The teaching lesson norm for teachers at semi-boarding ethnic secondary schools is 21 lessons at the primary level, 17 lessons at the lower secondary level.

The teaching lesson norm for teachers at special schools/classes for disabled and handicapped students is 21 lessons at the primary level, 17 lessons at the lower secondary level.

2a. The teaching lesson norm for pre-university school teachers is 12 lessons.

3. A teacher acting as the leader of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Organization of a Grade I school teaches 2 lessons a week, a Grade 2 school teaches 1/3 of the teaching lesson norm, and a Grade 3 school teaches 1/2 of the teaching lesson norm of teachers of the same education level. The classification of schools follows current regulations.

Thus, according to the above regulations, the teaching lesson norm per week for lower secondary school teachers is specifically divided as follows:

- Lower secondary school teachers have a teaching lesson norm of 19 lessons/week.

- For teachers at boarding ethnic secondary schools, the teaching lesson norm is 17 lessons at the lower secondary level.

- The teaching lesson norm for teachers at special schools/classes for disabled and handicapped students is 17 lessons.

Additionally, a teacher acting as the leader of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneer Organization of a Grade I school teaches 2 lessons a week, a Grade 2 school teaches 1/3 of the teaching lesson norm, and a Grade 3 school teaches 1/2 of the teaching lesson norm of teachers of the same education level.

What is the current teaching lesson norm per week for lower secondary school teachers in Vietnam? (Image from the Internet)

What are the regulations on the annual working period of lower secondary school teachers in Vietnam?

Under Clause 2, Article 5 of the Regulations on working policies for general education teachers issued together with Circular 28/2009/TT-BGDDT (supplemented by Clause 3, Article 1 Circular 15/2017/TT-BGDDT), the annual working period of lower secondary school teachers in Vietnam is as follows:

The working time for lower secondary school teachers (lower secondary level) in the academic year is 42 weeks, in which:

- 37 weeks are for teaching and educational activities according to the academic year plan;

- 03 weeks are for study and professional development;

- 01 week is for preparing for the new academic year;

- 01 week is for summarizing the academic year.

What is the formula for calculating overtime pay for lower secondary school teachers in Vietnam?

* Lower secondary school teachers: are teachers who are teaching at the lower secondary level.

Under Article 4 of the Joint Circular 07/2013/TTLT-BGDĐT-BNV-BTC guiding the implementation of policies on overtime pay for teachers in public educational institutions issued by the Minister of Education and Training, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance:

* Formula for calculating overtime pay:

(1) Overtime pay per academic year = Overtime teaching hours per academic year x Pay per Overtime teaching hour;

(2) Pay per Overtime teaching hour = Pay per teaching hour x 150%;

(3) Pay per teaching hour:

- For teachers in preschool institutions, general education institutions, vocational schools, and teachers, and lecturers in vocational education institutions:

For teachers in management roles or assigned as Chief of the Pioneers Brigade, Youth Union, Associations in preschool and general education institutions, and vocational schools, the calculation follows the above formula, wherein the teaching hours per year for teachers are used;

- For lecturers in higher education institutions, training centers, and institutions under the ministry, governorate-level entities, and institutions under the Government of Vietnam, Provincial Political Schools, and centrally-affiliated cities:

For teachers in management roles, Youth Union officers, Association participants who teach at higher education institutions, training centers, and institutions under the ministry, governorate-level entities, and institutions under the Government of Vietnam, Provincial Political Schools, and centrally-affiliated cities, the calculation follows the above formula, wherein the teaching hours per year for lecturers are used;

(4) Overtime teaching hours per academic year = [Actual teaching hours per academic year + Converted teaching hours per academic year (if any) + Additional calculated teaching hours per academic year (if any) + Reduced teaching hours according to policies per academic year (if any)] - (Annual teaching lesson norm).

* Note: When determining the number of lessons for calculating overtime pay, it is based on the annual teaching hour norm of lower secondary school teachers.

This norm is based on the teaching lesson norm (standard teaching hours/week) x (Number of weeks dedicated to teaching and educational activities per academic year).