Many localities have announced plans and schemes to arrange schools to streamline the apparatus, improve management efficiency and prepare for the 2026-2027 school year.
School arrangement plan, arrangement of principals in provinces and cities
The issue of public concern is the appointment of principals, because after arrangement, each school only arranges one principal instead of maintaining the number of principals corresponding to the schools before the merger.
Having held the position of principal of many kindergartens in Bac Ninh province for many years, Ms. Nguyen Thi Uyen said that after the merger, when many schools only have one principal left, the selection of heads should be carried out by objective procedures instead of just relying on seniority or reviewing records.
According to Ms. Uyen, in the context of schools being reorganized with larger scale and wider management scope, the requirements for principals are also higher than before. Therefore, entrance exams will help fully assess the capacity of each candidate.
The competitive examination for the position of principal is the way to create fairness and transparency. When there is a clear process, everyone has the opportunity to show their abilities, from which the results will also be more convincing" - Ms. Uyen shared.
According to this former principal, the scope of selection is not necessarily limited to the principals of schools jointly merged, but can be expanded to the vice-principal team if necessary.
Many vice principals today are well-trained, have management capacity and are very dedicated. If you only limit the candidates, you may miss people who are really suitable. Localities should stipulate mandatory criteria such as training level, working time, title standards... After meeting those conditions, organize recruitment exams to select people with the best capacity" - Ms. Uyen stated her opinion.
Agreeing with the above viewpoint, Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet, former kindergarten principal in Dong Cuu commune, Bac Ninh province, said that the merger of schools is an inevitable trend to streamline the apparatus. However, for the new apparatus to operate effectively, the selection of the head plays a decisive role.
According to Ms. Anh Tuyet, first of all, it is necessary to respect the aspirations of the current management staff.
Not everyone wants to continue doing management work. Through my observation, the current young leadership team is very well-trained in expertise. If they do not continue to manage but return to teaching, they can still develop their abilities. With the teaching profession, the most important thing is still the heart. In any position, they can contribute to the education sector" - Ms. Tuyet said.
For those who wish to take on the position of principal after the merger, Ms. Anh Tuyet believes that there should be a clear selection process. First of all, there should be rigid criteria such as qualifications, work experience, management position tenure... Then a competitive examination should be organized.
The content of the exam should not only test general management knowledge but also focus on leadership capacity in the new context. Candidates can develop a school development project after the merger, present management strategies, assign personnel, improve the quality of education and defend that plan before the council. Through this process, the vision, management ability as well as skills to handle real situations will be assessed. This is what is necessary for a principal in the new period" - Ms. Tuyet suggested the exam plan.
