This is the current situation in many primary schools in Ho Chi Minh City. The new general education program (2018) implemented in the 2023-2024 school year is in its fourth year, but primary schools in Ho Chi Minh City still face many difficulties.
Two students sitting at the same computer
Sharing at a recent meeting at the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Le Ngoc Phong, Principal of Nguyen Thai Binh Primary School, District 4 (Ho Chi Minh City), said that in this district, only a few primary schools have enough computers for students to learn IT, the rest of the schools rent. Currently, Nguyen Thai Binh Primary School also rents, but only dares to rent 20 computers, because if renting 40 computers (just enough for students in a class), the cost will exceed the allowed collection level in Resolution 04/2023. Therefore, when it is time to study, 2 students have to share a computer. The school has also petitioned the district to equip the schools with computers, but is still waiting.
Faced with the fact that many primary schools in Ho Chi Minh City do not have enough computers for students, the school is having to rent or use social resources, the principal of a primary school in District 3 said that there needs to be a budget source to equip computers - learning equipment for students, or when implementing social resources, it must be very careful.
Some primary schools have fully equipped computer rooms for students, but many schools still have to rent or socialize.
THE WORRY ABOUT THE SHORTAGE OF ENGLISH TEACHERS
Not only is it a story of a lack of computers, many principals of primary schools and leaders of the Department of Education and Training in Ho Chi Minh City also share concerns about the lack of teachers.
With the 2006 General Education Program, English is an elective subject in primary schools, so when Ho Chi Minh City organizes enhanced English teaching, schools are allowed to collect 100,000 VND/month from each student (the collection rate is stipulated in Resolution 04/2023 of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council) to support teachers in teaching. However, when implementing the 2018 General Education Program, which has compulsory English from grade 3 with 4 English periods per week, schools cannot collect as before to have a source of funding and support teachers. Meanwhile, with this new program, English teachers have to teach up to 23 compulsory periods per week, but the salary is low.
Ms. Do Ngoc Chi, Principal of Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School, District 1 (HCMC)
Ms. Do Ngoc Chi, Principal of Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School, District 1 (HCMC), said that in order to retain qualified and dedicated English teachers, over the past 15 years, in addition to salaries and budget allowances, English teachers have also been paid extra money from the first period in almost all primary schools in District 1, according to each school's internal spending regulations. In the 2022-2023 school year, when implementing the 2018 General Education Program in grade 3, Nguyen Binh Khiem Primary School has tried very hard to support English teachers. However, this year, when the new program continues to be implemented in grade 4, funding is very difficult. "We really hope to have an open direction to attract and retain English teachers so that they can devote all their heart to teaching," said Ms. Chi.
Mr. Ha Thanh Hai, Deputy Head of the Department of Education and Training of District 7 (HCMC), shares this concern. According to Mr. Hai, previously, English teachers only taught 16 periods/week, and the school deducted 60-70% of the parents' contributions to support teachers. "Currently, English teachers have to take on 23 compulsory periods/week, many districts do not have any, or English teachers are on leave. Meanwhile, enhanced English at the primary level in HCMC is extremely important, so there needs to be a separate mechanism for English teachers," Mr. Hai proposed.
Many places in Ho Chi Minh City still lack primary school English teachers.
TEACHERS' SUPPORT IS REQUIRED TO TEACH 2 SESSIONS/DAY
Ms. Le Thi Thoa, Principal of Thuan Kieu Primary School, District 12 (HCMC), said: "We recruited a number of young teachers with good capacity and good application of information technology. When working at the centers, those teachers' salaries range from 8 to 16 million VND, including insurance, but when they return to school, their salaries are only over 4 million VND. We just hope that the additional income and support for teachers to teach 2 sessions/day will help them stick with their jobs."
The principal of Nguyen Thai Binh Primary School, District 4, also shared that although teachers have been informed about not having money to teach the second session when implementing the 2018 General Education Program, many people are still worried. Because currently, the life of primary school teachers is difficult, the additional income coefficient for teachers according to Resolution 03/2018 has decreased compared to before.
If they can't recruit, the school has to find a way to pay for teachers!
That is a paradox that Mr. Trinh Vinh Thanh, Head of the Department of Education and Training of Go Vap District (HCMC), raised. Mr. Thanh said that now many localities cannot recruit teachers of information technology, English, music, fine arts, etc. Schools have to hire or contract teachers from outside, but the school takes care of this cost. For example, a school needs 60 teachers, but can only recruit 50, so the school has to "handle it" - spend money to hire 10 teachers with the remaining part-time teaching contracts; or if teachers in the school increase their hours, the school also takes care of it from the budget. And the school's budget is from the educational activity fund allocated per student.
It is necessary to remove difficulties for schools by increasing the number of teachers. If the number is not increased, the cost of hiring teachers must be supported.
Therefore, Mr. Thanh suggested that it is necessary to solve the difficulties for schools by increasing the number of teachers. If the number of teachers is not increased, the cost of hiring teachers must be supported. Otherwise, there will be no more funds for educational activities. At that time, the biggest disadvantage will be for the students.
What does the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City direct?
On October 4, at the primary education conference, Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu, Director of the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City, said that Ho Chi Minh City has issued a document removing computers from the list of centralized purchasing equipment to make it easier for localities and schools to purchase computers for teaching information technology in primary schools according to the 2018 General Education Program. Mr. Hieu directed the Department's Financial Planning Department to include computers as teaching equipment, and schools must be equipped with computers. It is necessary to consult and coordinate with departments and branches to include the list of computer purchases as teaching equipment purchases in the circulars of the Ministry of Education and Training.
Mr. Hieu criticized the delay in reviewing the purchase of learning equipment by the district education and training departments despite repeated reminders from the department. At the same time, he requested the Department of Planning and Finance to take a serious and thorough look at the schools to see if they have enough equipment, what is lacking, what is needed, and urgently digitize teaching equipment.
Regarding the shortage of subject teachers such as music, art, information technology, and English, Mr. Hieu said that the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training has made recommendations on the needs and duty hours of teachers of these subjects to the Ministry of Education and Training. The Department's Primary Education Department will submit a plan on the policy for attracting subject teachers...
Mr. Hieu also mentioned the current situation of IT and English teachers who all have university degrees or higher. If they teach at high school, the number of compulsory lessons is less than at primary school, so they have more time to improve their lives, so they tend to choose to teach at high school. Therefore, primary schools can proactively find solutions such as arranging for English teachers for grades 3, 4, and 5 to teach at grades 1 and 2, to ensure more income for teachers.
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