The Ministry of Education and Training identifies one of the key tasks of the 2026-2027 school year as completing salary, allowance and attraction policies to develop the teaching staff.
This can be considered a feasible solution to the quality of education in the coming years, if viewed from the perspective of the number of more than 104,000 teachers still lacking nationwide.
It is worth mentioning that although teachers are lacking, in many places, despite having recruitment targets, it is still difficult to recruit people or after recruiting, it is difficult to retain them because the teaching profession is no longer attractive in terms of income.
Therefore, increasing salaries and allowances in the current context is actually an investment for the future.
Education cannot be strong if teachers still have to spend too much time worrying about life.
When the pressure of making a living is heavy, it is very difficult to ask them to wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to innovating teaching methods, professional research or accompanying students.
Investing in teachers is therefore also investing in the quality of each lesson, each generation of students.
Another noteworthy point is that the Ministry of Education and Training not only raises the issue of salary increases but also prioritizes policies to attract teachers in ethnic minority areas, mountainous areas, border areas, islands and subjects that are lacking human resources.
This is the right direction, because the current teacher shortage is not happening uniformly but concentrated in the most difficult places.
However, salary increases are not the ultimate goal.
Because today's teachers are facing many new requirements, from digital transformation, artificial intelligence application, STEM teaching, inclusive education, school psychological counseling...
These requirements require a team that is not only professionally skilled but also constantly learns, adapts and innovates.
Therefore, it is necessary for the Ministry of Education and Training to simultaneously focus on fostering professional competence, digital competence and school governance.
But training also needs to be substantive, starting from work needs, avoiding running after formality or too many training classes that put more pressure on teachers.
In other words, what a teacher needs is to be given conditions to learn truthfully, do truthfully and be truly creative.
The Party, the State, and the whole society always pay attention and honor the teaching profession. But attention and honor will be more complete when accompanied by policies that are enough for teachers to live by the profession, feel secure in their profession and be proud of choosing the profession.
Education is the foundation of development. Each policy for teachers today will have an impact not only on an individual, but also on future generations of students.
Therefore, investing in teachers is the most long-term and sustainable investment for the future of the country.
