VietNamNet Bridge – A low income has prompted many university lecturers to leave for other jobs. However, many other lecturers have been staying on lecture hall daises, simply because they want to be teachers.

Lecturer Phuong Thao from the University of Civil Engineering (centre) and her students

Could you please tell me about your income when you began working as lecturers?

Thanh Tung: My monthly income is as follows: my fixed salary is VND 500,000, extra lessons are VND 300,000, which means a total income of VND 800,000 a month ($50). My expenses are as follows: VND 200,000 for petrol to run my motorbike, VND 200,000 for my phone bill, and VND 200,000 for attending weddings and parties with friends. I have VND 200,000 left to feed myself, while I have to pay VND500,000 for leasing house. I have to live on money from my parents even though I have my job and earn my money.

Huu Hoa: My total income is VND 1.2 million a month. After paying for petrol, the phone bill and house leasing fee, I would be listed among Vietnamese poor households, with an income of less than VND 230,000 a month.

How about your work?

Phuong Thao: My responsibility is to teach 311 periods a year, but in fact, I have 500 periods. Besides, I also teach at in-services and extra classes.

The numbers prove to be nothing if compared to teachers who have high degrees and experience. The number of their periods may reach 1,100-1,200. However, if you have too many lessons in class, you will not have time for scientific research.

Huu Hoa: It is really difficult to share your time to both earning a living and scientific research. However, you have to give your full effort because you are a university lecturer. I have joined with my colleagues in 5-6 scientific research projects at the ministerial level, several projects at the university level, and written three books.

In order to do so much work, I have to ignore some personal work. I only sleep 3-4 hours a day, while I have no time for friends and for my love.

What do you think about young lecturers who have left universities to earn their living with other jobs?

Phuong Thao: I know a lot of young lecturers have left universities. With good qualifications and good foreign language skills, they can earn $500-1,000 a month. You should not reproach them because they need to earn their living

Thanh Ha: As far as I know, some 20 young lecturers have left. Those, who have stayed at the universities are the ones who love the career of teaching and wish to learn more. However, it will take them some 3-4 more years of training. How can they live in the 3-4 years?

What do you think relevant agencies have to do to make young lecturers keep focused on their work?

Thanh Tung: Improving the education environment is the first thing we need to do. I hope we will have another chance for me to talk about this based on my overseas study.

It is necessary to improve lecturers’ income. Their income must be high enough for their everyday lives and savings. The income must be set based on the efficiency of works, not on the length of service or degree.

It is also necessary to improve the working conditions. Universities should be open only during working hours. Students and lecturers should be given favourable conditions to learn, meet and exchange at universities.

It is necessary to have assistant lecturers, who can be excellent students from classes. The assistant lecturers will help lecturers with some work so that lectures have more time for scientific research and preparing lectures.

Thanh Ha: It is really a big problem that the working conditions are not good. Some universities do not have enough equipment for scientific research. Young lecturers who want to attend an international workshop, are not given money to do that.

You have cited a lot of difficulties. Why do you still work as lecturers, then?

Thanh Ha: The main reason that made us decide to become teachers is that we love the career of teaching. We also hope that we will have the opportunities to study abroad and then return home to help change the face of Vietnam’s education.

(Source: Tien phong)