Over the past time, in the process of organizing the promotion of primary school teachers' professional titles, many teachers reflected that the guidance and requirements for evidence between localities are still inconsistent, even though they are based on the circulars of the Ministry of Education and Training.
Some localities do not require teachers to submit specific evidence for the standards in point d, clause 4, Article 4 of Circular No. 02/2021/TT-BGDĐT on the content: "Applying pedagogical scientific research results to practical teaching and education; having the ability to evaluate or guide colleagues to make pedagogical scientific research products from the school level upwards".
Conversely, some localities require teachers to have a Decision to participate in the Judging Panel to evaluate initiatives to receive applications.
This difference makes the teaching staff concerned about the legal basis. Moreover, the fact that the Ministry of Education and Training has issued Circulars No. 30/2026/TT-BGDĐT and Circular No. 31/2026/TT-BGDĐT to replace and abolish the old regulations further increases confusion.
The teacher asked, when considering promotion, should the locality apply Circular No. 02/2021/TT-BGDĐT (amended by Circular 08/2023/TT-BGDĐT) or apply new regulations in Circular No. 30/2026/TT-BGDĐT and Circular No. 31/2026/TT-BGDĐT?
For professional competency standards with the content "having the ability to evaluate or guide colleagues...", when the law does not stipulate a fixed type of document, are teachers required to submit a "Decision to participate in the Judging Panel to evaluate initiatives"? Or can other legal evidence be used such as certificates of initiative achievement, school-level thematic seminar reports, and minutes of research product comments?
If the Central Government does not specifically stipulate the type of evidence, are local agencies allowed to arbitrarily set "hard conditions" (such as requiring a decision to grade initiatives) as a barrier to refusing to receive teachers' dossiers?
Regarding this issue, the Ministry of Education and Training has answered, specifically:
Documents applied when considering promotion
Clause 1, Article 25 of Decree No. 93/2026/ND-CP dated March 31, 2026 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of a number of articles of the Law on Teachers stipulates:
In cases where a project or plan has been approved by competent authorities to organize the recruitment and reception of teachers, considering the promotion of teacher professional titles before June 30, 2026, it can continue to be implemented according to the approved project or plan until the end of December 31, 2026. In which, the standards on professional titles, promotion of professional titles, teacher professional standards, professional and nghiệp vụ standards of teachers are implemented according to the regulations of the Minister of Education and Training, and the Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs have issued".
Therefore, when implementing the project, the plan for considering teacher professional title promotion approved by competent authorities before June 30, 2026, localities are allowed to use regulations on professional title standards, professional title promotion for primary school teachers in Circular No. 02/2021/TT-BGDDT dated February 2, 2021 of the Minister of Education and Training stipulating codes, professional title standards and appointment, salary ranking of teaching staff in public primary schools as amended and supplemented in Circular No. 08/2023/TT-BGDDT dated April 14, 2023 of the Minister of Education and Training; Circular No. 13/2024/TT-BGDDT dated October 30, 2024 of the Minister of Education and Training stipulating standards and conditions for considering professional title promotion for preschool teachers, public high schools and university preparatory teachers.
Evidence of standards when registering for promotion consideration
Clause 3, Article 14 of Circular No. 13/2024/TT-BGDDT dated October 30, 2024 of the Minister of Education and Training stipulates the standards and conditions for considering promotion to professional titles for public preschool and general education teachers and university preparatory teachers, stipulating:
For standards without evidence, which are diplomas, certificates, certificates, decisions, certificates of merit, certificates of commendation, topics, projects or products applied in education, teaching students and related documents, the proof is a record of assessment, comments on the ability to meet those standards of the professional group, subject group or equivalent and with confirmation from the head of the educational institution directly managing and using teachers".
Therefore, in case teachers do not have diplomas, certificates, certificates, decisions, certificates of merit, certificates of commendation, topics, projects or products applied in education, teaching students and related documents to prove that they meet the standards and conditions according to regulations, they can use evaluation records, comments from professional groups, subject groups or equivalents and have the confirmation of the principal.
Authority to guide promotion consideration
When organizing promotion consideration, the competent authority for considering professional title promotion in the locality must develop a Project to organize promotion consideration to ensure the contents specified in Clause 1, Article 37 of Decree No. 115/2020/ND-CP dated September 25, 2020 of the Government regulating the recruitment, use and management of public employees.
At the same time, the Local Promotion Council has the task and authority to notify the content of professional title promotion consideration according to the provisions of point a, clause 2, Article 38 of Decree No. 115/2020/ND-CP.
Therefore, it is necessary for localities to clarify the content requirements on standards and conditions for considering promotion to professional titles to ensure the principles of equality, publicity, transparency, objectivity and in accordance with the law.
