Is a professional license considered a 'sub-license'?

Is it necessary?

In recent days, after the Ministry of Education and Training announced the draft Law on Teachers to solicit feedback from agencies, organizations, and individuals, many opinions have expressed agreement with and support for the content of the draft.

A lesson between a teacher and students at Nguyen Binh Khiem School ( Hanoi ).

In particular, many fundamental issues meet the aspirations of the teaching staff. The Dai Doan Ket newspaper published an article titled: "Building the Law on Teachers: Teachers eagerly await salary increases," which gathered opinions from several teachers regarding the regulation that teachers' salaries should be prioritized and ranked highest compared to the administrative and public service salary scale system.

This policy is a great source of joy and millions of teachers nationwide are eagerly awaiting its realization once it is codified into law.

However, the draft Law on Teachers also includes provisions for granting professional certificates to teachers. This provision has raised concerns and questions among many: Will this create unnecessary "sub-licenses"?

Addressing the concerns of teachers regarding professional certification, Deputy Minister of Education and Training Pham Ngoc Thuong affirmed that professional certification is not intended to strengthen the management of teachers or increase pressure on them regarding diplomas and certificates, but rather to promote the development of teachers.

Depending on their needs and capabilities, each teacher may possess multiple or more certifications. Once they have a professional certification and meet all the requirements, teachers can teach at the preschool, primary, or higher levels, and vice versa. This is part of teacher development.

The draft Law on Teachers also includes provisions for a smooth transition for 1.6 million teachers who were recruited into the profession before this Law came into effect, who will automatically be granted professional certificates without the need for assessment or examination.

In addition, retired teachers, if they so wish, can also be granted professional practice certificates to acknowledge their contributions to the field of education or to use them to continue their professional activities.

Positive impacts from professional certifications

Mr. Vu Minh Duc, Director of the Department of Teacher and Educational Management Staff (Ministry of Education and Training), stated that the professional certificate for teachers is a document confirming the qualifications of a teacher, issued by a competent authority to individuals who meet the standards for the teacher title as prescribed.

Basic professional certification will have a positive impact on teachers and educational institutions. The certification will facilitate changes in teachers' professional activities. Because it is valid nationwide, teachers with a professional certification do not need to repeat the apprenticeship period regardless of where they teach, reducing procedures for teachers in cases such as transferring between public and private educational institutions or vice versa.

According to Dr. Nguyen Vinh Hien, former Deputy Minister of Education and Training, the issuance of professional certificates for various professions worldwide aims to ensure the quality of that profession, linking it to the requirements, rights, and responsibilities of individuals and professions towards society.

In our country, many other professions already require professional licenses, such as lawyers and medical professionals. Therefore, according to Mr. Hien, the teaching profession should also require a professional license.

Mr. Hien also suggested that a specific process is needed to evaluate the development of teachers and grant professional licenses if teachers fully meet the criteria and requirements. The Law on Teachers provides general regulations for teachers and the teaching profession, but specific regulations are needed for different educational levels. The issuance of professional licenses should be carried out by a state management agency.

With over 30 years of experience in the education sector, Dr. Nguyen Van Hoa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nguyen Binh Khiem School (Hanoi), stated that at this time, teachers trained in pedagogy cannot automatically become teachers but need further training and professional development.

"Therefore, I think it's essential to issue professional certifications for teachers. We even need regulations on the validity period of these certifications so that teachers can develop. If this isn't done, it will be difficult to develop the education sector," said Dr. Hoa.

Supporting the provisions of the Law on Teachers, Mr. Le Van Tich, a teacher at Dien Tan Secondary School (Nghe An), believes that the regulation on professional certificates for teachers is correct.

However, Professor Tich believes that the most important thing when drafting the law is how to retain teachers, keep them committed to the profession, and attract talented people to the education sector.

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Occupations that affect people's lives and health require professional licenses. Examples include architecture, medicine, and healthcare. Therefore, for teachers, whose work impacts the future character development of individuals, licensing is absolutely essential.

Furthermore, the pool of applicants for teaching positions is very diverse today, and even traditional teacher training colleges need to explore different educational models. Therefore, licensing ensures that those who teach meet the necessary requirements of the teaching profession."

Dr. Le Dong Phuong - Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/xay-dung-luat-nha-giao-chung-chi-hanh-nghe-co-phai-giay-phep-con-10280498.html