Vietnamese teachers paid up to $1,200 a month after salary increase

In certain localities, additional policies allow for even higher earnings.

Ho Chi Minh City, for instance, increases the salary coefficients for government workers, including teachers, by 1.8 times, potentially raising a teacher's salary to VND40 million ($1,610) per month, according to an official from the city's Department of Education and Training.

Vietnam has over 1.05 million teachers benefiting from the national budget, according to data from the Ministry of Education and Training.

Nguyen Cong, 32, a middle school teacher in Hanoi, said his monthly salary is now around VND9.5 million ($382), reflecting a VND1.5 million increase. "I am most glad to hear that I will still get bonuses based on the number of years I've worked," he said.

Doan Ngoc, 27, a primary school teacher in the northern province of Phu Tho, reported receiving over VND6 million ($241) for the first time following the salary hike. "While it's still low, I'm glad to see my salary increase," she noted.

Ha Thu, 30, a kindergarten teacher in the northern province of Hai Duong, has seen her monthly salary rise to VND8.4 million ($338), an increase of VND1.5 million. She believes her salary is "decent for a teacher in the countryside".

Vu Minh Duc, head of the Department of Teachers and Education Managers at the education ministry, on Oct. 11 said the recent salary adjustments have helped improve the lives of teachers. "But compared to their own desires and needs, there is still some distance," he added.

Nguyen Loc, former deputy head of the National Institute of Educational Sciences, noted that teacher salaries vary globally.

In some countries, like New Zealand, teachers' salaries are lower than the GDP per capita; in the U.S., they are on par; and in Germany, they are higher, Loc said, referencing data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). He suggested that Vietnam might consider this data when planning future salary increases.

Currently, new teachers in Vietnam earn between VND6.6-7.4 million ($265-$297) per month, figures lower than the average income of Vietnamese workers, which stood at VND7.6 million ($306) in the third quarter, according to the education ministry.

Duc highlighted that 61% of teachers who quit their jobs are under 35, citing the financial burdens and the need to improve their teaching skills as contributing factors.

Despite the salary increases, some teachers feel the changes do not fully address their concerns. Thu, the kindergarten teacher from Hai Duong, remarked that while the increase is welcome, the workload is still heavy. She said she and her colleagues start receiving students at 6:30 a.m., and often don't leave until 6 or 7 p.m., even though the official time to return children is 4:30 p.m. They also prepare all the study materials themselves, she said.

To further support teachers, a draft for a new Law on Teaching proposes waiving tuition fees for the children of teachers from kindergarten to university. This policy would require an estimated VND9.2 trillion ($369 million) in budget spending annually.

"We want to create better policies to improve the lives of teachers so that they stay in the profession and attract more talented individuals to the sector," Duc said.