Seniority allowances - a policy to recognize the contributions of teachers
According to Decree 77/2021/ND-CP, teachers after 5 consecutive years of teaching are entitled to a seniority allowance of 5%, each year after which it will increase by 1%. This allowance is also the basis for calculating compulsory insurance contributions.
Many teachers affirmed that this is a meaningful policy that recognizes the dedication of the direct teaching staff. However, there are points that are not suitable for practice in the implementation process.
Reporting to Lao Dong Newspaper, many teachers said that the method of calculating seniority allowances according to Decree 77/2021/ND-CP is inadequate, causing people who have spent decades teaching continuously but have switched to a non-classroom position at the end of their career to completely lose their rights, while those who have only spent the last 5 years teaching will be paid for their pensions.
Decades of teaching but losing allowances due to changing positions
In a petition to Lao Dong Newspaper, Ms. Nguyen Mai Thanh (a primary school teacher) said: She has been teaching continuously for decades, but due to personnel transfer, health or job requirements, in the final years she was assigned to a position that did not directly teach. At that time, seniority allowances were completely cut and not included in pensions. Meanwhile, another teacher only needs to have 5 years of teaching at the end of his career to be considered for allowances when retiring.
Similarly, many teachers who have moved to experimental positions, libraries, clerical schools, administration... are also facing similar situations, even though they have been teaching for decades.
"People who have contributed for decades will not receive it, but those who have only the last 5 years will receive full benefits. This difference is unfair, said the group of teachers.
The same number of teaching years but different benefits
According to the reflection, the inadequacy is also shown in the fact that: Teaching time becomes a factor that determines rights.
A teacher who teaches for the first 15 years of his career and then changes to a support position and is not entitled to allowances or pension.
Another teacher has also been teaching for 15 years but at the end of her career, she received an allowance from the 6th year and was included in her pension.
"The same level of dedication, the same number of years of teaching but the benefits are completely different just because of the time in class. This is unreasonable" - the teacher pointed out the problem.
Paying insurance on allowances for many years but not being counted for benefits
Another big problem pointed out by the teacher: During the teaching period, seniority allowances are included in salary as the basis for social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance contributions.
However: When teachers switch to non-classroom work, their previous teaching time is not reserved. The insurance amount paid on the previous seniority allowance does not create any corresponding retirement benefits.
"The money has been paid but the benefits are not available, not refunded and not converted into a retirement regime. This is a clear disadvantage for teachers" - the teachers reflected.
Proposal to amend to ensure fairness
To ensure the principles of fairness, reasonableness and humanity in the treatment policy for teachers, teachers request the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Government to consider, study, adjust, and supplement a number of contents.
First, add the subjects entitled to seniority allowances for teachers to include civil servants who have been directly teaching for 5 years or more, continuously in public educational institutions in the national education system, regardless of working time in the career ( beginning, mid-term or end).
Second, allowing reservation of teaching time. Applicable to teachers assigned to positions that do not directly teach but still work in the education sector such as equipment - laboratories, libraries, administration, student counseling, etc.
According to teachers, adjusting the policy in the direction of reserving teaching time will accurately reflect the level of contributions of teachers, avoiding the situation of benefits depending on the final working period.
Third, when a civil servant retires, if he/she has a total time directly teaching that meets the prescribed conditions (from 5 years or more), it is recommended to continue to include seniority allowances in pensions, as a form of recognition of merits, encouragement of long-term contributions, ensuring consistency in implementing preferential policies for the teaching staff.
According to teachers, amending policies in the direction of allowing the reservation of time spent directly teaching to calculate seniority allowances will contribute to perfecting the treatment mechanism for teachers, ensuring fairness and accurate reflection of the level of dedication of each civil servant, regardless of the time they are in class. This adjustment is also in line with the humanity and consistency in the State's policy on the education sector.
