On October 8, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave its second opinion on the draft Law on Teachers.

The draft law devotes Article 10 to regulating teachers' ethics. Accordingly, teachers' ethics are standards of perception, attitude and behavior in the relationship between teachers and students, colleagues, students' families and the community. Teachers' ethics are expressed through teachers' codes of conduct in performing their duties and in social relations appropriate to professional activities.

Article 11 of the draft law also stipulates what must not be done. It clearly states that teachers must not discriminate between students in any form; force students to participate in extra classes in any form; force students to pay money or goods outside the provisions of the law; publicly disclose information about teachers' violations when there is no official conclusion from the competent authority during the process of considering discipline or prosecuting teachers' legal responsibility...

Breakthrough in the specifics of teachers

Concerned about these regulations, Head of the Delegation Working Committee Nguyen Thanh Hai shared: While developing and discussing the draft Law on Teachers, there were some rather painful phenomena that affected the image of teachers and were being reflected in the media.

Ms. Hai cited the example of a teacher mobilizing parents to contribute money to buy computers or the image of a teacher being overly intimate with a student right in the classroom in front of students in a solemn pedagogical setting.

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Head of the Delegation Work Committee Nguyen Thanh Hai. Photo: QH

“Just this morning, I read in the newspaper that there were cases of many teachers and treasurers committing violations in collecting money from students, which have been transferred to the investigation agency in Binh Thuan. I feel very sad,” the Head of the Delegation Affairs Committee shared.

Ms. Hai agrees with the provisions of the draft law on teachers' ethics such as standards of perception, attitude, and behavior in the relationship between teachers and students, colleagues, and students' families.

For example, there are many explanations that teachers' donations and overcharging may be due to low salaries and benefits for teachers.

"We must affirm that teachers have never been rich people in society. During the war, teachers were not rich economically but were still very rich in heart and morality, taking care of students and tutoring them," Ms. Hai analyzed.

According to the Head of the Delegation Work Committee, the regulations on teachers' ethics lead to issues related to training and fostering for teachers. However, the draft law's regulations on training and fostering for teachers are being presented somewhat briefly and sketchily.

"How to break through the specific points of the Law on Teachers", the Head of the Delegation Work Committee emphasized.

Ready to fix now, fix overnight, until it's done

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man noted that this is an issue of concern to the education sector, but it is a very difficult law with a large scope of impact and many complicated contents.

With a spirit of urgency but with caution and thoroughness, the National Assembly Chairman requested that the Government and the Ministry of Education and Training pay close attention. Relevant ministries and branches, especially the Ministry of Justice, "guard the door" for this law in terms of technicality, without incorrect words, sentences, content, or overlap with other laws.

If the draft law is revised this time and is specific, thorough, and meets the requirements, it can be approved in two sessions, the 8th and 9th sessions. If the consensus of the National Assembly is not high and there are many opinions, it can be approved in three sessions.

"For a long time without this law, teachers' activities have continued normally. We must make this law to ensure longevity," said the National Assembly Chairman.

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Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son. Photo: QH

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son affirmed that with a high spirit of determination and openness, the drafting agency is ready to revise immediately, revise at night, and revise until it is done.

"In the discussion with 1.6 million teachers in the whole industry, it must be said that teachers are looking forward to and expecting the Law on Teachers," said Minister Nguyen Kim Son.

Regarding opinions on teachers' ethics, the Minister of Education and Training said that when building the drafting committee, they also considered that some detailed contents were already shown in the codes of conduct, and in other contents, so they should not be specifically regulated in the law.

The Minister continued to commit to fully absorb comments and suggestions, perfecting the draft law to submit to the National Assembly in the next session.

Draft 5 of the Teachers Law, consisting of 9 Chapters and 45 Articles (26 Articles less than the draft submitted on September 6), is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for discussion at the upcoming session.

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