Less than 20 months of transfer through many units
Behind the story of dozens of teachers suffering from nearly 20 months of unpaid salaries, unemployment, and not enjoying social security policies is the arduous transition journey of an educational institution.
Song Hong Technical - Professional Secondary School (abbreviated as Song Hong Secondary School) was established in 1971. In 2015, the school was transferred to the Ministry of Construction. For many years, this place has trained and provided tens of thousands of technical workers for the market.
On August 29, 2024, Phu Tho Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 1761/QD-UBND, receiving the school in its original state from the Ministry of Construction to the province, assigning the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (old) to directly manage. However, before the reception was completed, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs ended its operations.
Next, on February 26, 2025, Phu Tho Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 442/QD-UBND on transferring state management functions and tasks; public non-business units under specialized agencies of the Provincial People's Committee.
In which, transferring the original state of Song Hong Intermediate School from the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to the Department of Education and Training.
On September 25, 2025, the Minister of Education and Training issued Decision No. 2681/QD-BGDDT on merging Song Hong Intermediate School into Phu Tho Vocational College.
On that basis, the Department of Education and Training issued Decision No. 1964 dated November 27, 2025 on handing over the original state of Song Hong Intermediate School to Phu Tho Vocational College.
No salary, billions of VND in insurance debt
The transfer process led to dozens of workers at Song Hong Intermediate School suffering disadvantages when they did not have salaries and did not enjoy social security policies.
Working with Lao Dong Newspaper, Phu Tho Provincial Department of Home Affairs confirmed that from September 2024 to now, all officials, teachers, and staff of Song Hong Intermediate School have not been paid salaries and have not implemented policies.
Phu Tho Provincial Social Insurance also confirmed that this unit is owing more than 1 billion VND of social insurance money.
Specifically, the amount incurred to be paid by the end of November 2025 of 29 teachers is more than 1,081 billion VND. Of which, the amount owed by May 30, 2025 is more than 582 million VND; the amount incurred from June to November 2025 is nearly 499 million VND.
Faced with this situation, Phu Tho Provincial Social Insurance proposed that relevant departments and branches report to the Provincial People's Committee to have a plan to support contributions to the insurance fund and late payment interest, in order to ensure the rights of workers.
At the same time, the insurance agency also requested Phu Tho Vocational College to coordinate in resolving social insurance, health insurance, unemployment insurance, occupational accident and disease insurance regimes for officials and teachers who have not yet enjoyed benefits.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, leaders of Song Hong Intermediate School said that what makes them most heartbroken is not only the figures of salary or insurance debts, but the scene of teachers having to leave the podium, making a living everywhere.
Nearly 20 months without pay, many people are forced to leave the podium, doing all kinds of jobs to live. Meanwhile, the school's nearly 2 hectares of facilities are abandoned and degraded every day.
The school said that it has sent petitions to functional agencies many times, but so far it has not been resolved.
In that context, school leaders frankly acknowledged that, as a 100% self-reliant public non-business unit, if there is no support from the State, it is very difficult for the school to survive and develop.
Therefore, the school proposed that the Phu Tho Provincial People's Committee and relevant departments and agencies soon have a definitive solution. If it continues to be maintained, there needs to be a mechanism to support finance, invest in facilities, and consolidate the organizational structure so that the school can stabilize again.
There was a time when I thought about the dead end, which is to make unemployment benefits insurance to reduce the burden of making a living. But the insurance debt recognition system cannot do it either. Thinking about the scene of teachers going to receive unemployment benefits makes me feel bitter" - a lecturer explained.
Mr. Dang Dang Khoa - Head of the Faculty of Construction Mechanics - expressed his desire to be soon accepted by Phu Tho Vocational College to have jobs, the most important thing is to enjoy social and health insurance to solve the regime for some teachers, because some brothers are old enough to enjoy retirement benefits.
I want departments, boards, and branches to quickly resolve the issue of merger so that life can gradually become more stable in the future" - Mr. Khoa said.
Nearly 20 months have passed, the story of Song Hong Intermediate School is not only a management problem, but also a worry about the fate of teachers. When administrative decisions are still moving, they are still waiting for an answer to be able to return to the profession - the path they have pursued for their whole lives.
