For teachers teaching at schools, classes for people with disabilities, centers to support the development of integrated education, and boarding schools in border areas, the salary coefficient will be added by 0.05 compared to the prescribed level.
The specific salary coefficient is directly multiplied by the current salary and is not used to calculate allowances. Thus, with a total of more than 1.2 million teachers today, according to calculations by the Ministry of Education and Training, when applying this policy, the budget will generate about 1,652 billion VND per month, mainly for preschool and general education teachers - the two levels of education accounting for the largest number in the national education system.
In addition, teachers appointed to the title of professor will be applied a senior expert salary table of three levels: 8.8 - 9.4 - 10.0, demonstrating recognition of professional capacity, scientific prestige and the role of knowledge leadership. The Ministry of Education and Training believes that applying the senior expert salary table to professors is in line with their position and role in the training and research system, while creating motivation to attract and retain talent for higher education.
Not only adjusting salaries, the Draft Decree also expands a series of new allowance regimes to protect the rights and encourage teachers to work with peace of mind. In which, teachers are entitled to work responsibility allowances, mobile allowances and heavy, toxic, and dangerous allowances. Notably, the mobile allowance will be applied to teachers who are seconded, teach inter-schools or have to travel between many schools to teach, with a rate of 0.2 times the basic salary for each mobile day. Teachers who teach practice in toxic environments such as laboratories, practice workshops, places with chemicals, dust, or radioactive rays will receive allowances from 0.1 to 0.4 times the basic salary, depending on actual conditions.
These regulations are considered to overcome the shortcomings that have lasted for many years, when teachers who teach practice, are seconded or work at schools in remote areas are not paid accordingly. The draft also clearly stipulates the cases where teachers are mobilized to work between educational institutions, if the destination has a lower allowance level, the old allowance regime will be reserved for a maximum of 36 months, in order to protect the rights of teachers during the rotation of work.
For preschool teachers, in addition to enjoying the highest special coefficient, the Law on Teachers also allows for early retirement up to 5 years compared to the normal retirement age if they wish, without having to reduce the pension percentage if they have paid social insurance for 15 years. This policy is considered humane and suitable for practice, because preschool teachers are the group that is most likely to face physical and mental pressure in the whole industry.
The law also pays special attention to teachers in remote areas, ethnic minority areas, border areas, and islands, when it stipulates that they are supported with additional accommodation for public duties or house rent, allowances and separate subsidies, as well as being given more favorable conditions for travel and work. Localities and educational institutions are also encouraged to issue additional policies to support teachers' lives, income and career development, depending on actual conditions.
According to the Draft Circular on codes and salary classification, the salary coefficient of teachers is expected to be from 2.1 to 7.55, corresponding to an income of 4.9 to 17.6 million VND/month, excluding allowances and special coefficients. Thus, when the entire new policy is applied, teachers' income can increase by an average of 15% to 25% compared to the present.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga - a teacher at Tay Tuu A Primary School (Hanoi) - shared: "From January 1, 2026, with the new policies, our teachers will be more assured about life, focus on their expertise, and no longer have to worry like before".
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, the promulgation of the new Decree is not only a step to implement the Law on Teachers, but also a step to concretize the Party's policy on salary policy innovation, contributing to building a team of teachers with stable income, being honored by society and wholeheartedly accepting the profession.
However, along with joy, many experts also believe that policy implementation needs to ensure a stable budget source, avoiding late payment or unpaid allowances. At the same time, it is necessary to closely monitor the application to ensure fairness between regions, especially for teachers in disadvantaged areas, boarding and boarding.
New policies on salaries, allowances and treatment of teachers - if implemented synchronously and seriously - will be a strong boost for the entire education sector, contributing to retaining talented people, encouraging young people to stick with the teaching profession and more importantly, elevating the position of teachers in modern society.
