Expected increase in allowances for principals and vice-principals

Principals and vice-principals are expected to receive allowances ranging from 0,35 to 0,7 times the base salary, with the highest being 1,8 million dong per month, generally an increase from current levels, according to the Ministry of Education and Training's proposal.

The Ministry of Education and Training outlined the allowance coefficients for principals and vice-principals of preschools and general education schools in a draft decree on management staff benefits, open for public comment until 27/9.

Under the proposal, each educational level will have a single allowance rate for leaders, replacing the current three-tiered system. The Ministry's proposed coefficients align with the highest rates currently applied. Specifically, high school principals will receive 0,7 times the base salary monthly (compared to the previous range of 0,45-0,7), while vice-principals will receive 0,55 (up from 0,35-0,55).

Similarly, allowances for secondary school principals and vice-principals will be 0,55 and 0,45 respectively; for primary schools, 0,5 and 0,4; and for preschools, 0,5 and 0,35.

Consequently, the highest allowance for a principal, at the high school level, will be nearly 1,8 million dong, an increase of 630.000 dong compared to the previous 0,45 coefficient. For lower educational levels, principals and vice-principals will receive allowances ranging from nearly 900.000 dong to nearly 1,4 million dong, representing an increase of 300.000-500.000 dong from the current lowest rates.

The Ministry of Education and Training explained that these changes aim to address the inadequacies of the current school classification and ranking system based on the number of classes. They also seek to accommodate the growing number of large schools with multiple campuses following recent mergers.

Once the draft is approved, principals and vice-principals whose allowances are increased will receive the new rates starting the following month. In cases where an allowance might decrease (for example, a principal becoming a vice-principal, or a vice-principal becoming a team leader), individuals will retain their old allowance until their current appointment term expires.

Following mergers, the number of schools nationwide decreased by approximately 19.000 (from 37.515 to 18.575), a reduction of 50,5%. Over 32.600 principals and vice-principals were reassigned.