While the salary and allowance policies for teachers are gradually being improved, school staff - a silent but indispensable force in the education system - are still suffering many disadvantages. Before the draft Decree stipulating the preferential occupational allowance regime for civil servants and employees in public educational institutions, many opinions said that the 20% allowance level is not commensurate, needs to be adjusted in a higher direction and with appropriate zoning.
The indispensable "rear" force of the school
The school staff includes many key positions such as library, equipment, accounting, clerical work, school health, information technology, teaching staff, security.... Although they do not directly teach classes, they are the force that ensures that teaching and learning activities take place safely, smoothly and effectively.
Library staff maintain and develop reading culture, manage learning materials to serve the innovation of teaching methods. Equipment staff ensure facilities and teaching equipment always operate safely and effectively. Accountants are responsible for financial and budget management - areas that require high accuracy and transparency.
Document and mail staff manage all records, official letters, and administrative data of the school. School health staff directly take care of health, prevent and control epidemics, and handle emergency situations for students and teachers. School security is responsible for ensuring security and property safety 24/24 hours.
If this team is lacking, the school's operations will be disrupted, directly affecting the quality of education," Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Nguyet - school equipment staff in Hanoi shared.
20% allowance does not reflect reality
According to the draft Decree of the Ministry of Education and Training, school staff in supporting and serving job positions are proposed to enjoy professional preferential allowances at a rate of 20%, applied from January 1, 2026 to the end of 2030. From 2031, the allowance level is expected to be increased to 30% according to Resolution No. 71-NQ/TW of the Politburo.
In the process of contributing opinions to the draft, some units proposed to study increasing the allowance level for school staff to 30% right from the initial stage, but this proposal has not been accepted by the drafting agency (Ministry of Education and Training) with the reason "budget resources are still limited".
According to the opinion of the school staff, this argument is not really convincing. Statistics show that the current number of school staff is about 37,800 accountants, 32,100 medical staff, 35,100 library staff, 31,200 equipment staff and more than 13,600 administrative staff, IT staff, clerical staff... nationwide. Most of this team is receiving intermediate and college salaries, due to many years of not being promoted to professional titles.
Meanwhile, teachers currently have preferential allowances according to profession, regional allowances, special allowances, seniority allowances, while school staff are applying a uniform level of allowances, without distinguishing working conditions between plains, mountainous areas, remote and isolated areas.
Proposal to increase regional allowances, up to 50%
From the above practice, the school staff proposed adjusting the allowance policy in the direction of zoning and increasing the benefit level, specifically applying from January 1, 2026: Region 50%; Region 2: 40%; Region 3: 30%
According to school staff, this allowance level is necessary to compensate for difficult living conditions, increasing work pressure in the context of digital transformation, smart schools, and increasingly complex management requirements.
Notably, there are employees who have been attached to the education sector for nearly 30 years, but have never received preferential allowances according to their profession, have never been promoted, and face many difficulties in life as living costs increase day by day.
In the long term, this team also proposed that from 2031, regional allowances should continue to be adjusted to 50% – 60% – 70%, in order to ensure stable income, helping school staff feel secure in their work and be attached to the industry for a long time.
Taking full care of the school staff is not only a social security issue, but also an important condition to improve the quality of school governance, thereby contributing to the successful implementation of the goals of fundamental and comprehensive innovation in education and training.
Considering adjusting the allowance level in a reasonable, fair and practical direction will be a strong message of recognition from the State for the silent but persistent contributions of the school staff - those who are keeping the "education machine" operating smoothly every day" - Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Nguyet, representative of the school staff, proposed.
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