VietNamNet Bridge - HCMC cannot find enough teachers for its nursery schools as low salaries and hard work have kept high school graduates away.

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A report of the city’s education department shows there are over 1,100 preschools with 335,000 students and 22,000 teachers. 

The first semester of the 2016-2017 academic year is nearly finishing, but the city still lacks 781 teachers. Many teachers have not turned up, while others have left school after a short time of working.

Meanwhile, 144 newly recruited teachers have quit the job over the last three years, since the day the city began implementing Resolution No 1 on giving support to preschool education.

13,375 managerial officers and preschool teachers have received the financial support of 25 percent of salaries from the city’s authorities, more than 1,000 officers and teachers receive the support of 35 percent of salaries when taking care for 6-18-month old children. Newly graduated teachers receive the allowances equal to 70-100 percent of salaries.

The current pay mechanism, under which teachers receive salaries based on service length and education titles, makes it difficult to attract preschool teachers.
A question was raised at the third session of the city’s People’s Council that why the city still cannot attract preschool teachers though the pay has become more attractive. 

Le Hong Son, director of the HCMC Education Department, said the department has applied measures in the last few years to encourage high school graduates to become preschool teachers. It promised to arrange jobs for teachers after they finish training. 

With Resolution 01, every teacher can receive the allowance of VND1.8 million on average, together with the basic salary, enough for them to cover basic needs.

Son believes that the biggest problem is the heavy workload. Preschool teachers now have to undertake the works of both teacher and caretaker staff. Meanwhile, it is very difficult to fulfill both tasks.

The city still cannot recruit babysitters for preschools because of problems in Circular 06 released by the Ministries of Education and Training and Internal Affairs.

Truong Lam Danh of the HCMC People’s Council said the current pay mechanism, under which teachers receive salaries based on service length and education titles, makes it difficult to attract preschool teachers.

Under current regulations, teachers at preschools receive a third-class salary even if they have a bachelor's degree. In order to get a second-class salary, they must have the title ‘good teacher’, or ‘emulation soldier’, which is nearly impossible for new graduates.

HCMC’s Vice Mayor Nguyen Thi Thu said to settle the problem, the city would also recruit preschool teachers who don’t have an HCMC residence registration book. 

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