VietNamNet Bridge – Wanting teachers to pay more attention to their children, a lot of parents pay extra money to kindergarten teachers monthly. And thus ‘envelope culture’ (extra money for teachers is put into envelopes) has come into existence.

Nguyen Hoang Oanh, who has a daughter learning at a state-owned kindergarten in district 6 in HCM City, related that if she goes to fetch the daughter in the afternoon and she is not given a warm welcome by teachers, she understands that she needs to give ‘envelopes’ to teachers.

On webtretho forum, one mother named ‘live to love’ complained: “Teachers change their attitude towards me and my child if I’m slow in giving money.”

She related that two months ago, she was having difficulty persuading her son to go to kindergarten. Her son said he did not want to go to class. However, after she gave envelopes to teachers, her son all of a sudden liked going to school.

Love for teachers is a must

Nickname ‘Live to love’, though giving money to her child’s teachers every month, does not feel happy about it. “I do not regret the money, but I feel uncomfortable as I have to think all the time about when to give money and how much to give.

“The teachers’ attitudes make me feel that they just want money, while they don’t care for children,” she said.

Phuong Tram, who lives in district 10, HCM City, gives VND50,000 to a teacher every month. She said that teachers do not feel hesitant when receiving money, because they have got used to the envelopes. Meanwhile, Le Huyen in Go Vap district said that giving extra money is a parent’s “duty”.

Meanwhile, a lot of parents give envelopes to teachers because they feel sorry for teachers, as they have very low salaries. They say that the extra money can be considered as thanks to teachers for their hard work.

A mother, who has a son learning at a kindergarten in Thu Duc district, said that a kindergarten teacher can earn VND1.5mil a month only, while she has to work very hard from early morning to late afternoon. Therefore, she thinks that parents should give some extra money to help teachers improve their lives.

‘Envelope culture’ not existing in all schools

Teacher Phuong Linh, who is teaching at a private run kindergarten in Binh Thanh district in HCM City, said that she is forbidden from receiving envelopes from parents. “We can only receive presents once a year, on the Vietnamese Teachers’ Day, November 20. If we are discovered receiving money from parents, we will be sacked,” Linh said.

The headmaster of the kindergarten where Linh works does not agree with the ‘envelope culture’. She said that this creates unfairness in treatment of children. “If you gave VND50,000 to teachers this time, they would expect more than VND50,000 the next time,” she said.

Nguyen Ngoc Q., who has a son learning at Minh Anh Kindergarten in district 3, related that she gave money and gifts to her son’s teacher on March 8, but she then realised that the envelope had been put back into the schoolbag of her son.

Q. later realised that teachers at the school do not receive money directly from parents, and Q. feels happy because the teachers still takes care of her child.

Parents said that there are many ways to assist teachers to overcome difficulties in their lives. On webtretho, a mother said that she and other parents contribute VND50,000 a year which will be given to teachers on holidays. As such, these parents do not have to worry about giving money directly to teachers anymore.

Doan Truc