Working and summer vacation time is arranged flexibly
The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has just issued Circular No. 04/2026/TT-BGDDT regulating the working regime for teachers at continuing education institutions.
The Circular regulating the working regime for continuing education teachers has clarified the annual leave time, ensuring harmony between the continuous operation requirements of continuing education institutions and the legitimate rights of teachers.
Accordingly, the annual leave time of teachers teaching continuing education programs includes three main groups: summer vacation, holiday - Tet and other holidays according to the provisions of labor law.
Regarding summer vacation, teachers are entitled to a minimum of 4 weeks and a maximum of 8 weeks, based on the internal regulations of each continuing education institution, and must also comply with the general regulations of the Government on the summer vacation time of teachers. Due to the nature of continuing education operating year-round, during the summer vacation, teachers can still be summoned to participate in professional training and fostering; participate in high school graduation exams, enrollment; or teach classes under the training and fostering program and other educational activities according to the unit's plan.
Teachers are entitled to holidays, Tet and other holidays according to regulations
In addition to summer vacation, teachers are entitled to holidays, Tet and other days off in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code and the Law on Social Insurance. The arrangement of specific annual leave time is decided by the director of the continuing education institution, based on the school year plan, scale, and operating conditions of the unit, but must ensure the correct school year time frame.
A noteworthy point is the regulation on summer vacations coinciding with maternity leave for female teachers. In this case, teachers are still entitled to full maternity leave as prescribed.
The summer vacation period outside the maternity leave period (before or after maternity leave) is still guaranteed. If the total number of actual summer vacation days is less than the number of annual leave days according to the provisions of the Labor Code, teachers are arranged to take extra leave to meet the number of days, with extra leave time arranged flexibly based on the agreement between the director and teachers.
For male teachers taking maternity leave when their wives give birth, during the leave period according to the provisions of the Law on Social Insurance, teachers are considered to have completed enough teaching norms and are not required to tutor. In case this leave period coincides with the summer vacation, the compensatory leave period does not arise.
The Circular also specifically stipulates the annual leave time of the management staff at continuing education institutions, including directors, deputy directors and teachers assigned as heads and deputy heads of departments. These subjects take annual leave according to the Labor Code, holidays, Tet and other holidays as prescribed. In case a continuing education institution arranges summer vacation (including annual leave time), it must be clearly stipulated in the internal regulations and rules of the unit and arranged flexibly, ensuring that the institution's operations take place normally and complete the assigned tasks.
The new regulations on the annual leave time of continuing education teachers aim to increase flexibility in organizing activities, while clarifying the rights and responsibilities of teachers, creating a basis for continuing education institutions to implement uniformly, transparently and in accordance with reality.
