Priority should only be given to the needy!

The draft Law on Teachers proposes to exempt tuition fees from kindergarten to university for biological and legally adopted children of teachers currently working. With this proposal, based on the age of the teacher and the estimated age of the child, the additional tuition fee that needs to be paid annually is more than 9,200 billion VND.

There are many more difficult subjects.

The principal of a high school in Cau Giay District, Hanoi, assessed that the draft Law on Teachers, which proposes exempting tuition fees for teachers' children from kindergarten to university, is a humane proposal and shows the society's concern for teachers. However, even though he is an insider, he personally does not expect this regulation to be applied in practice.

He believes that the teaching profession should not have special rights but should be equal to other professions. If possible, there should be regulations on exempting tuition fees for children of teachers in especially difficult circumstances, working in especially difficult areas. "In my opinion, the state budget should be used to exempt and reduce tuition fees for children of ethnic minorities, people in difficult circumstances, orphans, children with serious illnesses, and children with disabilities... When conditions permit, the subjects of exemption and reduction of tuition fees can be gradually expanded. If all people can go to school without having to pay tuition fees or have their tuition fees reduced, I would be very happy" - this principal proposed.

As an insider, Ms. Nguyen Hoang Lam, a teacher at a high school in Ho Chi Minh City, said that her income is not high, but she does not agree with the proposal to exempt tuition fees for teachers' children. In many other professions, the majority still have unstable incomes. Many parents of students are still in difficulty, workers' salaries are only 6-8 million VND/month, and that covers rent, living expenses, and children's tuition. Compared to them, teachers' lives may not be rich, but they are much more stable. The proposal to give priority not only puts pressure on teachers but can also create inequality and discrimination between professions. "I believe many of my colleagues share this thought, there is no need to prioritize tuition exemption. For now, if the budget has savings, use it to increase teacher allowances in mountainous and island areas or reduce tuition fees for students in difficult circumstances," this teacher suggested.

Similarly, Mr. Pham Kim Dung, a teacher at Thanh Cong B Primary School (Hanoi), said that the proposal in the draft Law on Teachers is very good. However, in the immediate future, priority should be given to students in difficult circumstances, in rural, remote and isolated areas... which is more necessary.

Many National Assembly delegates disagree with the proposal to exempt tuition fees for teachers' children. Photo: HOANG TRIEU

Tuition should be free at all levels.

Manyeducation experts believe that the proposal of the Drafting Committee of the Teachers Law needs to be carefully considered. One opinion is that teachers already receive full salaries like officials and employees in other professions. Even the current salaries of teachers are not low, so exempting tuition fees like this creates unfairness among professions.

Lawyer Trinh Duc Tien, Phuc Tho Law Office (Hanoi), said that teaching is a noble profession, but why are only teachers' children entitled to this policy? Other professions, such as doctors and nurses, also contribute a lot to society, so why are they not entitled to this policy? "I believe there will be many opinions asking why teachers' children and children of people in other professions are different? Why are teachers' children exempt from tuition fees while children of other professions are not? That is the question that the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) must answer because otherwise it will create privileges and benefits in the education sector," said lawyer Trinh Duc Tien.

He also said that to ensure fairness, the Ministry of Education and Training should consider the option of exempting or reducing tuition fees for middle and high school students nationwide if the education budget increases. Currently, teachers have received a salary increase, and if tuition fees for teachers' children are continued to be exempted, other students will be disadvantaged.

Sharing the same view, a lecturer at Hanoi National University proposed that tuition fees should be exempted for children of the poor, not just for teachers' children. "My personal opinion is that we should gradually exempt tuition fees for all levels of education from low to high. I don't think my children need tuition exemption, this policy should be for students with difficult circumstances and weaker in society. When the economy develops and the country has the conditions, we should move towards exempting tuition fees for students nationwide" - this lecturer expressed his opinion.

Not feasible

Dr. Hoang Ngoc Vinh, former Director of the Department of Vocational Education - Ministry of Education and Training, said that this is a very difficult policy to implement. Has the drafting committee assessed the impact of this policy on the political, economic, fair, and equal aspects with other professions and other groups of people?

"I also wonder if retired teachers who are now guest lecturers are given priority, or if teachers' children are exempted from tuition fees for lifelong education? Private vocational schools and private universities with tuition fees of tens of millions of dong, hundreds of millions of dong per year, are they exempted from tuition fees if they are teachers' children?" - Dr. Hoang Ngoc Vinh raised the question.

There should be no special privileges or benefits.

Regarding the regulation at Point d, Article 26 of the draft Law on Teachers, which stipulates exemption of fees for biological and legally adopted children of teachers during their working period, National Assembly delegate Pham Van Hoa (Dong Thap delegation) affirmed that he did not agree with this overly specific proposal.

According to Mr. Hoa, there are many reasons why he disagrees. Teachers' children are just like the children of workers, farmers, armed forces... That means, children of all professions must be treated equally, it is impossible to have special regulations in the direction of "privileges and benefits" for teachers' children. Teachers themselves are also being proposed to have the highest basic salary in the administrative career salary scale system, the first salary is increased by 1 salary level, professional allowances..., that is, there are many incentives for the profession of teachers.

According to Mr. Hoa, with the policy of exempting tuition fees for teachers' children from kindergarten to university, based on the age of the teachers and the estimated age of the children, the Government said that every year the state budget must provide an additional 9,200 billion VND. This is a huge amount of money, but more importantly, this proposal causes inequality, unreasonableness, and causes a mentality of comparison between professions.

When discussing at the 38th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee, citing figures from the Government's report on the above amount, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man said that it was relatively large. "Where does this source come from, where does it come from to allocate annual spending? You must evaluate more carefully to ensure feasibility, ensure fairness in relation to other priority subjects" - Mr. Tran Thanh Man said.

According to Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Thanh, the issuance of specific policies for teachers is very necessary, however, it is necessary to review and evaluate the impact of the policies carefully and cautiously to ensure feasibility. Prioritizing teachers must be placed in a general correlation with other cadres, civil servants, public employees and workers.

The proposal to exempt tuition fees for teachers' children is a humane policy, but Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Khac Dinh said that this provision cannot be applied to private educational institutions and even public educational institutions. Therefore, it is necessary to assign the Government to prescribe policies for teachers with specific difficult circumstances. "I think this content should not be prescribed in the draft law. Incentives and special policies are acceptable, but the provision of "privileges and benefits" is not advisable," said the Vice Chairman of the National Assembly.

Van Duan

Source: https://nld.com.vn/de-xuat-mien-hoc-phi-cho-con-nha-giao-chi-nen-uu-tien-cho-nguoi-kho-196241009212248804.htm