Major Step to Address the Severe Shortage of Teachers
The persistent shortage of teachers in schools and educational institutions across the country has long been a matter of serious concern. To tackle this challenge effectively, the government has introduced significant policy changes. According to the revised regulations, public service units and government educational institutions are now officially permitted to sign labor contracts directly to meet their staffing requirements, ensuring that classroom learning remains uninterrupted.
Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs responded to a petition filed by voters in Da Nang, which was forwarded by the National Assembly's Committee for Citizens' Petitions and Supervision, demanding an increase in the proportion of labor contracts within the education sector. Voters had pointed out that the shortage of teachers and rising workloads were severely impacting the overall educational environment.
New Ordinances and Policy Revisions
In response to these practical needs, the Ministry of Home Affairs advised the government to issue a comprehensive decree regulating contracts for the performance of public non-business tasks. The new framework provides educational institutions with greater autonomy to recruit necessary human resources in a timely and efficient manner, replacing older and more rigid bureaucratic norms.
The revised regulations institutionalize policies outlined in higher-level directives, granting financial and administrative autonomy to public service units that self-finance a significant portion of their operational expenses. These institutions can now decide on the number of contracts needed to fulfill their staffing requirements, provided they operate within established budgetary limits.
Caps and Limits on Contractual Recruitment
Clear guidelines have been established for public service units in education, science, and technology. In cases where special laws do not yet provide specific rules, organizations may sign contracts for up to a maximum of 70 percent of the difference between the allocated number of civil servant positions and the quota issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.
To ensure transparency and timely decision-making, provincial people's committees have been tasked with determining the exact number of contracts to be signed and reporting to the provincial people's council at the earliest opportunity. This ensures that staffing levels align closely with local educational demands.
Over 100,000 Teacher Vacancies Still Exist
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Ministry of Education officials noted during a briefing session that the country still faces a shortage of over 104,000 teachers. Officials attributed this gap to various factors, including local authorities failing to fill allocated positions or implementing rigid, mechanical staff reduction measures without assessing ground realities.
"Ensuring the quality of teaching and learning is paramount. We must implement synchronized solutions, streamline administrative personnel, and redirect workforce resources to areas most in need." — Senior Education Ministry Official
The briefing emphasized that alongside new recruitments, better management of existing educational resources is vital. Reassigning surplus staff to underserved regions and focusing on teacher development are key components of the ongoing strategy to bridge the employment gap.
Strict Guidelines for Local Authorities
The Home Affairs Ministry has urged local authorities to manage their staffing quotas strictly according to regulations. Local education departments must proactively restructure, rotate, and depute teaching staff to balance shortages and surpluses. Only when all officially allocated quotas are exhausted should schools resort to additional labor contracts.
Moving forward, the Home Affairs Ministry will continue to collaborate closely with the Ministry of Education to improve institutional frameworks, streamline workforce policies, and uphold the core principles of integrated public employee management while respecting the unique professional characteristics of teachers.
