The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) is developing and soliciting opinions on the content of the draft Decree regulating salary policies, allowances for teachers, and instructions for implementing the Law on Teachers.
The Housing Law takes effect from January 1, 2026, stipulating that "Teachers' salaries are ranked highest in the administrative career salary scale system".
However, according to the Ministry of Education and Training, only 12% of teachers are currently classified into 3 groups: A1 A2.1 A3.1, but nearly 100% of civil servants in other sectors and fields are classified into these 3 groups.
Of these, only a maximum of 1.17% of senior teachers (grade I) are classified in the highest salary scale (including A3.1 and A3.2), while other sectors have a maximum of 10% of civil servants classified in the A3.1 salary scale.
According to the Ministry, 88% of teachers are ranking salaries lower than civil servants in other sectors and fields. This group can enjoy the highest salary coefficient of 6.78; while civil servants in other sectors can enjoy the highest salary coefficient of 8.0 (about 1.18 times higher). Meanwhile, teachers must have a training level that meets the prescribed standards.
100% of preschool teachers are currently ranked with the lowest salary in the administrative career salary scale system.
"Looking at reality, with this salary arrangement, the teaching profession has not been recognized and honored as worthy of the Party's policies" - the Ministry of Education and Training acknowledged.
Salary policy is not a "favorite position" but a worthy treatment for teachers
The Ministry of Education and Training affirmed that the proposal of policy contents in the draft Decree regulating salary policies and allowances for teachers is purely to carry out the tasks assigned by the National Assembly and the Government according to the provisions of the Law on Teachers; ensure compliance with the Party's policies in the Resolutions and Conclusions related to teachers' salaries; comply with the regulations on salaries stipulated in the Law on Teachers.
The draft Decree is being widely consulted with relevant ministries, branches, localities, agencies and organizations. The opinions sent to the draft Decree mostly agreed with the provisions of the draft Decree. The Ministry of Education and Training will synthesize comments and submit them to the Government for consideration and decision.
"The arrangement of "Teachers' salaries are ranked highest in the administrative career salary scale system" is not a "dignity" but a worthy treatment for teachers" - the Ministry affirmed.
The salary policy in the Law on Teachers immediately has a positive impact on the teaching staff
Before the development and promulgation of the Law on Teachers, according to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training (2022 - 2023), the rate of teachers quitting or changing jobs was about 10% of the total number of teachers; most of whom were teachers under the age of 35 (accounting for 61% of teachers quitting or changing jobs). At the same time, the recruitment of teachers in all localities is facing difficulties in terms of resources, especially in large city areas. The entrance score of pedagogical schools is low, affecting the quality of teacher training.
After the Law on Teachers was passed by the National Assembly, the provisions of salary policy in the Law immediately had a positive impact on the enrollment of pedagogical schools and the recruitment of teachers in localities. The benchmark scores of pedagogical schools are high compared to other professions. The rate of people applying for teacher recruitment in many localities is 7 - 10 times higher than the recruitment target. Some subjects that were difficult to admit before (such as Foreign Language, IT, Fine Arts, Music...) now have many students.
When the Law on Teachers was promulgated, teachers nationwide were looking forward to the Government's detailed regulations on teachers' salaries being ranked highest in the administrative career salary scale system.
Therefore, the regulation of "specific salary coefficient" has received the consensus and support of many relevant agencies, units and individuals, especially the expectation of the teaching staff nationwide. The Ministry of Education and Training will continue to improve the content of regulations demonstrating the consistency of the Party and State's policies and viewpoints on teachers' salaries over the past 30 years as stated above. At the same time, the Ministry of Education and Training will coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to calculate and determine the budget source for implementing the policies in the Decree, ensuring feasibility for the country's socio-economic development situation.
