Below is a recent question Lawnet has received quite frequently from Customers and Members. So, will teachers in Vietnam receive a higher salary corresponding to a University degree after updating their qualifications according to the current regulations? Lawnet provides a detailed explanation in the article below.
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Payrolls applicable to teachers at all educational levels
As informed customers and members, from July 1, 2020, according to the Education Law 2019, the qualification required for teachers at all educational levels will be raised compared to the Education Law 2005. Specifically, from July 1, 2020, all primary, lower, and upper secondary school teachers in Vietnam must have a university degree or higher (the current regulation only requires primary school teachers to have a diploma from the intermediate level or higher, lower secondary school teachers to have a college degree or higher, and upper secondary school teachers to have a university degree or higher).
To implement this regulation in the Education Law 2019, the Government of Vietnam has drafted a Decree outlining the roadmap to elevate the qualifications required for primary, lower, and upper secondary school teachers; and is seeking feedback by March 9, 2020.
According to this Draft, the roadmap to elevate the qualifications required for teachers at all educational levels in Vietnam will be implemented from July 1, 2020, to December 31, 2030.
After having a university degree, will these teachers automatically receive a higher salary?
responds affirmatively. Specifically, Mr. Hoang Duc Minh, Director General of the Department of Teachers and Education Administrator (Ministry of Education and Training) stated that under current regulations, teachers' salaries as public employees are determined based on the professional titles for which they are recruited. New teachers to the sector will have the lowest-ranking titles, thus their received salary will also be the lowest. The anticipated new salary calculation method for teachers will eliminate the concept of base salary and instead start with a baseline amount, which will then scale higher. The initial salary levels, along with coefficients elevated by training level, will increase the salaries for teachers, especially at the preschool, primary, and secondary school levels, compared to the current system, particularly for newly entering teachers.
For primary school teachers, since teachers' qualifications will be elevated from intermediate to university level, this level will see the most significant salary changes. Currently, the initial salary for the intermediate system is a coefficient of 1.86; for a university degree, it is 2.34, indicating a substantial increase in primary school teachers' salary in the near future.
Moreover, according to the spirit of Resolution 01/NQ-CP on key tasks and solutions to implement the Economic and Social Development Plan and the state budget estimate for 2020, in 2020, the new salary policy for officials and public employees, and armed forces will replace Decree 204/2004/ND-CP currently in effect. According to Resolution 27-NQ/TW, this new decree will include 05 new payrolls applicable to officials and public employees from 2021, based on job positions of each entity, where the payroll for officials and public employees not holding leading titles will follow the principle of:
- Equal salary for jobs with the same complexity;
- Higher than normal labor conditions and professional benefits will be implemented through professional allowance policies.
Mr. Hoang Duc Minh also added that the new salary step for teachers will be associated with training qualifications and linked to the overall salary grade system with preferential occupation allowances. The payroll will be paid according to job positions and the complexity of the profession. The spirit is that the education sector will not have a separate payroll compared to other professions, but will position the salary steps according to the practical raised training qualifications according to the set standards. This serves as a basis to start the salary steps at the preschool, primary, and secondary school levels. Logically, teachers' salaries have been increased compared to the current status.
Additionally, according to Mr. Minh, from July 2020 until the new salary policy applies in 2021, the salary for teachers, including those in remote, rural, and particularly disadvantaged areas, will still be implemented according to the regulations of the Government of Vietnam. Specifically, from July 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, teachers will still receive their salaries based on the current coefficient multiplied by the new statutory pay rate of VND 1,600,000/month. The new payroll based on job positions, and positioning salary steps according to the practical raised training qualification standards will be applied from January 1, 2021.*
Nguyen Trinh
- Key word:
- university degree
- higher salary
- Vietnam
