Promotion review for hundreds of teachers 'stuck' at rank III

Hundreds of rank III teachers in Nghe An may finally be promoted to rank II, following years of delays and a new initiative from the Department of Education and Training.

Early last week, the Nghe An Department of Education and Training sent an official letter to communal People's Committees, requesting a review of teachers' professional ranks. Localities that have not yet met the prescribed staff structure are urged to develop plans for promotion reviews, safeguarding teachers' entitlements.

Specifically, localities must use job position proposals to determine quotas and compile lists of eligible teachers. These lists are to be submitted to the Department for appraisal by 29/4 and then presented to the provincial People's Committee for approval. Once approved, communal People's Committees will conduct the promotion reviews as per decentralized authority.

The Department stated that this initiative is based on government regulations, which permit the continuation of promotion plans and proposals approved before 30/6/2026 until the end of the year.

A few weeks ago, over 200 preschool teachers across 9 communes in the former Yen Thanh district submitted further petitions, requesting promotion from rank III to rank II. Many of these teachers meet the requirements for years of service, qualifications, and professional expertise but have not been promoted for years.

In some schools, the professional title structure is almost "frozen," with only the principal holding a rank II position and all other teachers remaining at rank III. This contrasts with regulations allowing up to a 50% ratio of rank II teachers, whereas the actual figure for the preschool sector in Nghe An is only about 30%.

Currently, monthly salaries for rank III teachers range from 4,9 million VND to 11,65 million VND, excluding allowances. Promotion to rank II would extend this salary range from 5,48 million VND to 14,93 million VND.

The Nghe An Department of Education and Training explained that promotion reviews were previously under district-level authority but were interrupted during a transition in government administrative models. While authority was delegated to communal People's Committees from mid-2025, many localities have yet to finalize their proposals, hindering implementation.