Working as a worker in Thang Long Industrial Park (Dong Anh district, Hanoi) for 11 years, the only time Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu (from Nghe An) took her children back to school was when her eldest daughter was in 1st grade.
In the 2024-2025 school year, the first child will go to 6th grade, the second child will go to 3rd grade. Even though she has a day off on the occasion of National Day September 2 to 3, she will not be able to take her child to the opening ceremony in her hometown.
"On September 2, I have a day off from September 1 to September 3, 2024. It takes a long time to get from my hometown to Hanoi, so I have to leave early to have time to prepare, rest and go to work the next day" - Ms. Thu said.
If she wants to attend her child's opening ceremony, Ms. Thu must ask for leave. This affects your work as well as your salary. The beginning of the school year is the time when this mother is most worried because she needs at least 10 million VND for her 2 children. Having to leave her children and earn a living alone in the city, Ms. Thu always longs to be with her children, especially on important occasions like the first day of school.
Regarding the proposal to take two more days off for National Day holidays (from September 2 to 5) to create opportunities for workers to take their children to school on the first day of school, Ms. Thu said that this is the wish of the majority of workers. have school-aged children.
Like Ms. Thu and her husband, in recent years, Mr. Nguyen Van Tam and his wife (residing in CT4 apartment building, Kim Chung commune, Dong Anh district, Hanoi) also had to ask for leave to directly take their children to school.
Mr. Tam has 2 children, this year in 7th and 4th grade. Because he only has 2 days off for National Day, he can add 1 day off every week for 3 days, so he can directly attend his children's opening ceremony (March 1). 5.9), you often have to ask the company for leave in advance.
“On the first day of school, your school has not yet organized boarding school. You attend in the morning and return at noon. So, my wife and I took turns, one took us to attend the opening ceremony with our children, the other stayed home to prepare lunch" - the male worker said.
Regarding the proposal to increase the day off on the occasion of National Day September 2, Mr. Tam strongly agreed because this way people like him and his wife would not have to ask for leave but could still directly take their children to school for the opening ceremony.
“The opening of school is a very meaningful occasion for the children. The presence of parents at this event will greatly encourage their children, helping to increase the bond between parents and children" - Mr. Tam shared.
Ms. Pham Thi Thu Lan - Deputy Director of the Institute of Workers and Trade Unions (Vietnam General Confederation of Labor) - expressed her agreement with the proposal to extend the National Day holiday from September 2 to September 5.
“Vietnamese workers are currently working very long hours, so they need more time to rest, regenerate labor, have more time to bond with family, balance between work and family, take care of your children. In addition, extra days off also help them take care of their health and regenerate their labor power" - commented Ms. Pham Thi Thu Lan.
According to Ms. Pham Thi Thu Lan, currently, workers are leaning towards work, working too much time, while time for family and children is decreasing. Many people do not have time to take care of their children, so they send them back home, thereby lacking a bond with them.
Deputy Director of the Institute of Workers and Trade Unions also said that taking more holidays also helps stimulate the economy (workers can travel); create opportunities for workers' children to develop both physically and mentally. In addition, public holidays for Vietnamese workers are still low compared to the world, so proposing more is reasonable.
Previously, at the 13th Congress of the Vietnam Trade Union taking place in December 2023, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor also proposed to study increasing annual holidays and New Year holidays at the appropriate time, because the number of days off of Our country is 5-6 days lower than the average of Southeast Asian countries and the world; Research to add two days of National Day holiday (from September 2 to September 5), creating an opportunity for workers to take their children to school on the first day of school. According to the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, this is a very passionate wish of the majority of workers with school-age children.
