Information about teachers' overtime teaching debt, lasting from the 2020-2021 school year to 2024-2025, is not just a dry financial figure, but reflects the responsibility of the management agency.
That delay is unacceptable because teachers, who live mainly on salaries, have been and are silently bearing losses.
Overtime teaching is a part of work that arises according to professional requirements, recognized by law and regulations of the Education sector, with clear norms and remuneration.
Teachers who have taught enough hours, even overtime, then paying for overtime teaching is not "asking - giving", but a mandatory obligation of the employer and local authorities.
However, that duty in Dak Lak has been suspended for 5 years. Year after year, teachers still teach classes, still complete their tasks, and the amount of overtime teaching money... continues to be deducted.
More than 38 billion VND has not naturally "disappeared", but is somewhere in the delay, avoidance or lack of decisiveness of management levels.
Why has the debt lasted for 5 years, if there is a lack of funding, why is it not reported to have a definitive handling plan from the early years?
Being owed overtime teaching money for 5 years means that many teachers are being embezzled of their income, while still having to fully fulfill their professional obligations.
More notably, this is not a debt of an individual or a single case, but a systemic debt in 38 communes and wards.
This shows loopholes in grassroots education budget management, as well as a lack of specific responsibilities. If not seriously rectified, the story of overtime teaching debt today could completely be repeated in the coming years.
The Department of Education and Training of Dak Lak province's request for localities to balance funding sources for final payment is necessary but still not enough. "Proposal" cannot replace a specific timeframe, let alone a general promise.
In case there is no ability to balance, it is necessary to clearly report the cause, who is responsible, and how the debt repayment roadmap is, and it cannot continue to be prolonged by back-and-forth documents.
Difficult budgets cannot be a reason to legitimize the delay in paying legitimate rights of workers. If any locality continues to let debts drag on, there must be a form of self-criticism and clear responsibility handling.
Teachers cannot live by promises, let alone "teach with faith".
