Vietnam: Who has the authority to appoint the principal of a public primary school?

Who has the authority to appoint the principal of a public primary school?

Pursuant to Article 11 of the Primary School Charter issued together with Circular 28/2020/TT-BGDDT of the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam:

The principal of a primary school is responsible for managing, operating the activities, and ensuring the quality of education within the school.

Who has the authority to appoint the principal of a public primary school?

According to Article 9 of Decree 127/2018/ND-CP of Vietnam's Government:

Responsibility for state management of education by Chairpersons of commune-level People’s Committees

1. Issue a decision on establishment or permit the establishment, withdraw the establishment decision or decide to permit the establishment, acquisition, full or partial division, dissolution, conversion or name changing of state and private education institutions as regulated, including kindergartens, preschools, primary schools, lower-secondary schools, general schools with various educational stages of which the highest stage is lower-secondary education, ethnic minority day-boarding schools, community education centers and other education institutions under state management performed by district-level People's Committees.

2. Decide to appoint, dismiss, transfer, commend or discipline the head and deputy of the Division of Education and Training according to the standards for job positions and procedures regulated by laws.

3. Decide to recruit or give authorization for recruitment of educational employees under current regulations, arrange employees according to their job positions, admit, appoint, dismiss, transfer, commend or discipline the heads and deputies of state education institutions specified in Clause 1 this Article or change their job positions, ethnic minority boarding schools in districts which do not provide upper-secondary education and other education institutions under their management upon consideration of the plan prepared by the Department of Education and Training and assessment of the Domestic Affair Division.

4. Decide to establish the school’s council, admit, appoint and dismiss Chairperson thereof, supplement or replace members of state school’s councils, admit or not to admit the board of directors, chairperson and deputy chairperson of such board of directors, principles and deputy principles of state and private schools under management of district-level People’s Committees according to standards for job titles and procedures regulated by laws.

Thus, the Chairman of the District People's Committee has the authority to appoint the principal of a public primary school.

Who has the authority to appoint the principal of a public primary school? (Image from the Internet)

Duties and powers of the principal of a public primary school

According to point d, clause 1, Article 11 of the Primary School Charter issued together with Circular 28/2020/TT-BGDDT which defines the duties and powers of the principal of a primary school as follows:

- Develop the strategy and development plan of the school; plan and organize the implementation of teaching and educational plans; report and evaluate the results of implementation before the school board and the competent authorities.

- Establish professional groups, office groups and reward and discipline councils; advisory councils within the school; appoint group leaders, deputy group leaders; appoint teachers to the position of Head of the Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneers.

- Perform the duties of managing staff, teachers, and employees in accordance with the law and guidance from educational management agencies; develop plans to improve professional competence for teachers and employees; motivate and create conditions for teachers and employees to participate in educational innovation activities; evaluate and classify teachers and staff according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training; participate in the recruitment, transfer, and arrangement process of teachers; organize steps to introduce personnel for the appointment of vice-principals by competent authorities.

- Manage and enroll students, allow students to transfer schools; decide on discipline and commendation for students; approve the evaluation results of students, list of students moving to the next grade, and students repeating a grade; organize the recognition and certification of primary school program completion for students within the school and for other subjects within the school's jurisdiction.

- Organize the implementation of the primary education program as regulated by the Ministry of Education and Training; select textbooks, local educational content in accordance with the decisions of the Provincial People's Committee. Manage, utilize, and select reference publications as regulated by the Ministry of Education and Training.

- Participate in activities with professional groups; engage in self-study and self-improvement to enhance professional and managerial competence. Attend training courses in politics, professional management; participate in teaching as per the regulated teaching quota for principals.

- Manage administrative tasks; manage and autonomously use financial resources and school assets according to regulations.

- Implement the grassroots democracy regulations; promote socialization of education, coordinate, organize, and mobilize social forces to participate in educational activities, enhance the role of the school in the community.

- Create a safe, healthy, friendly learning environment; prevent and combat school violence as prescribed by law.

- Enjoy policies on allowances for teachers and other preferential policies according to regulations.