Teacher salaries set for 2-7 million VND monthly increase

Teacher base salaries are expected to increase by 2-7 million VND per month, excluding allowances, according to Minister Nguyen Kim Son.

Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son announced on 4/9 that the Ministry is finalizing a draft detailing regulations on salaries, allowances, and policies to attract and support teachers.

The draft proposes a minimum increase of 2 million VND per month for all teacher base salaries, with the highest increase reaching 5-7 million VND.

"This increase only applies to the base salary and does not include other allowances," Mr. Son said.

In mid-June, the National Assembly passed the Teacher Law, designating teachers as the highest-paid group in the administrative and public service salary scale. At the end of August, Resolution 71 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in education and training development also called for special, superior policies for teachers. Specifically, the resolution mandates a minimum occupational allowance of 70% for preschool and general education teachers, at least 30% for staff, and 100% for teachers working in extremely difficult areas, border regions, islands, and ethnic minority areas.

Currently, the occupational allowance for preschool teachers ranges from 35-70%, depending on the region's favorability, while the rate for general education teachers is 30-50%.

Current salary illustration for preschool teachers with a 70-100% allowance:

According to the Ministry of Education and Training, over 1.05 million teachers nationwide currently receive salaries from the state budget.

Teacher salaries currently range from approximately 4.9 to 15.87 million VND per month, depending on the level of education. In addition, depending on their position and workplace, each teacher may receive one or more allowances: seniority allowance (5% after 5 years of service, plus 1% each subsequent year), occupational allowance (30-70%), position allowance, allowance for exceeding the salary framework, and special allowances for artisan teachers, teachers of people with disabilities, and teachers working in extremely difficult areas.

Last December, the Ministry reported that including all allowances, teachers' total income ranged from approximately 6.6 to 30 million VND.

The salary and allowance increases are expected to be one of the solutions to address the teacher shortage and ensure teachers have a stable income to dedicate themselves to the profession.