Nanny is not yet a legitimate profession.

ALWAYS WORKING

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoa, 41 years old, has been a nanny at Son Cang Primary School, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City for 15 years. She used to work freelance at home, but by chance, she learned that the school was recruiting nannies to support boarding students. Ms. Hoa applied for the job and has been working there since 2009.

Nanny takes care of students during lunch hours at school

Ms. Hoa's working day starts from 6:45 a.m. until about 5:30 p.m. There are times when parents are busy, and she waits until 6:30 p.m. for them to pick up their children.

The nanny with 15 years of experience said that normally they will be divided into 2 groups, those in the "inner circle" and those in the "outer circle". The inner circle is understood to be the work of assisting the catering staff in picking, washing vegetables, cutting, and preparing food. The outer circle is to welcome students, prepare classrooms, clean hallways... This week, she does the inner circle, next week she does the outer circle. The work continues busily, especially when students prepare to eat lunch, everyone is in a hurry, some transport food to each class, others help students get rice and food.

For the nannies in charge of grades 1 and 2, because the students are still young, some have poor appetites, eat slowly, the teachers roll up their sleeves to feed them or support disabled students in integrating, coaxing them to finish their meals. After the students finish eating, the teachers set up tables and chairs, and prepare a place for them to take a nap. Every noon, the nannies are also responsible for the nap time of the boarding students, preventing many unexpected situations, ensuring their safety. When the students wake up, the teachers continue the work of feeding them snacks, helping the girls tie their hair, cleaning the classroom, cleaning the kitchen, spoons, and boarding supplies, letting the students go home, and returning the students to their parents...

"When I first started working, I came home with a sore back and my arms and legs were sore, but I got used to it. Now that I'm not working, I miss my students so much. The kids love me and call me "Mom Hoa". My salary in 2023 has been increased to 5.3 million VND a month. If I save money, it's enough. I have social insurance and the school also supports me during Tet," Ms. Hoa confided.

CALCULATIONS TO SUPPORT INCREASE INCOME FOR NANNY

Ms. Le Thi Kim Ngan, Principal of Phuoc Thanh Primary School, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City, said that at her school, nannies are paid according to the regional minimum wage of 4,960,000 VND/month. Contracts are signed with nannies for 9 months/school year. They also have other benefits such as uniforms, annual health check-ups, and social insurance. In addition, the school tries its best to support nannies during Tet, depending on the year, the amount of support during Tet ranges from 2 to 5 million VND.

The principal of a primary school in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City said: "The monthly salary of a nanny is the regional minimum wage of 4,960,000 VND/person/month, but minus insurance and other things, the nannies actually receive about 4.4 million VND/person". According to this principal, the nanny's job is quite hard, working from early morning to afternoon; all students must be dropped off and parents must pick up their children before the nannies can go home. This 2024-2025 school year, the school plans to increase the fee for "boarding service organization, management and cleaning services" by 15% according to the city's permission from 207,000 VND/month to 238,000 VND/student/month. "This increase is to pay the nannies more salary, from four million to about 5 million VND/month", this person said.

Similarly, the principal of a primary school in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the school also pays nannies according to the regional minimum wage of VND4,960,000/person/month (before deducting social insurance). The budget comes from the school's internal spending budget, and the schools themselves balance and adjust from the revenue sources in the regulations. However, at her school, depending on the internal spending regulations, the school arranges to be able to take care of the material and spiritual needs of the nanny staff.

For example, in addition to salary, nannies who have been with the school for a long time, for example, those who have worked for more than 5 years, will receive an additional 100,000 VND per month. Or on holidays and Tet, teachers get bonuses, nannies also get similar benefits. In particular, nannies are also considered for year-end competition to receive additional income support during Tet, which can be from 2 to 3 million VND/person. "No matter how little or much, these payments will help take care of the nannies' lives, so that they are more attached to their profession and to the school," the principal shared.

Currently, according to the 2018 General Education Program, primary school students are required to study 2 sessions/day, the demand for boarding students is also increasing, so the need for nannies is very large.

NO SUMMER SALARY FOR 3 MONTHS

The principal of another primary school in the center of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the biggest disadvantage for nannies is not getting paid during the 3 summer months, because students are on summer vacation and the school does not organize boarding. "I know many nannies who have to work for hire, doing all kinds of jobs during the 3 summer months to make ends meet, it's very pitiful," she said.

Notably, according to the female principal, currently, according to Decree 111/2022 of the Government, priority is given to schools signing contracts for certain types of work through service providers. Currently, security guards have a provider, service staff can also sign through a service provider, but no provider provides nannies and this is not yet a legitimate profession. "I really strongly believe that nannying should be considered a legitimate profession among professional titles. Currently, according to the 2018 General Education Program, primary school students are required to study 2 sessions/day, the demand for boarding students is also increasing, so it is clear that the need for nannies is a real need," the principal confided.

Another manager in Thu Duc City (HCMC) also admitted that nannies have a hard time, the work is not too hard but the working hours are long from 6:30 a.m. to more than 5 p.m., they do not get a lunch break, they have to constantly clean the kitchen, prepare snacks for the children, and on weekends they have to do laundry, clean mats, pillowcases, and dining utensils. According to this manager, the care and support of nannies for students is necessary to help parents feel more secure when their children go to boarding school.

Parents share with nanny

Understanding the hard work and low salary of nannies, many parents have different ways to share and encourage those who directly care for and support their children every day.

Ms. Thuy Linh, a parent with a child studying in primary school in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, chooses to give gifts and lucky money to the nanny on holidays such as March 8, October 20, and Lunar New Year. Mr. Tam, a parent with a child studying in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, said that he does not only give gifts to the nanny on holidays and Tet, but sometimes, when picking up his children, he gives her a few hundred thousand dong to buy her a cup of coffee or breakfast. "I feel very sorry for the nanny, who is as old as my mother at home, taking care of the children very devotedly," Mr. Tam shared.

The principal of a primary school in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, said that many parents also wanted to send extra money to the nanny every month. "However, I also discussed with the parents' representative board that if the giving and giving to the nanny is voluntary and personal, then it is okay. The school does not have a policy of classes "taking the lead" or "equalizing" the contributions from parents to give money to the nanny, and using the class's parents' representative board's budget to give and give to the nanny - who is a school employee - is also not in accordance with Circular 55 of the Ministry of Education and Training on the regulations of the parents' representative board," said the principal.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bao-mau-van-chua-la-mot-nghe-chinh-danh-185241013191633168.htm