Lookatvietnam – About VND2.4 billion (US$145,000) has been provided to departments of education and training in 48 provinces by enterprises to help poor teachers with low incomes over Tet.

Teachers in a Lao Cai school guide students during a practical period. Not all teachers in rural areas have been getting Government aid during Tet holidays.

The amount was transfered to bank accounts of these departments directly. Each province will receive VND50 million ($2,900).

Nhan said many teachers contributed much to the education sector, but received little income.

In a letter to provincial and city authorities nationwide, he said the economic downturn had a huge impact on the life of every person, including teachers. He asked local authorities to try their best to support poor teachers so they could enjoy the warmth of the holiday with their families.

For teachers who volunteer to go to remote and mountainous areas, Tet bonuses provide the only chance for them to visit their families.

Dinh Quoc Chien, who left Ha Tinh Province to teach in Tan Thanh District in Long An Province, has not been able to visit his family for 10 years. “It’s all because I do not have enough money,” he said.

Vo Viet Trung, head of the Education Unit of Hiep Duc District of Quang Nam Province, said that for the more than 10 years he had been in the industry, 700 teachers in the district had rarely received Tet bonuses.

“This has been a concern for teachers in the district for a long time. All people in other industries are talking about bonuses for Tet, but we don’t receive a thing,” said Trung.

“Even if we just received a box of tea or a bottle of wine to present our parents or grandparents, we would feel quite happy,” he said.

According to Tran Tri Nguyen, a worker at the Education Unit in Van Yen District in the mountainous province of Yen Bai, parents in poor areas can barely afford to send their children to school.

“They are poor and we cannot take their money for a bonus,” said Nguyen.

The situation is the same in many other provinces and cities, such as Dong Thap, Lao Cai, Long An, Can Tho, Bac Can, Ha Giang and Lang Son.

Nguyen Thi Ha, a teacher at Cao Ba Quat Primary School in Dak Ha Commune in Gia Lai Province’s Kon Chro District finds the happiness of Tet in small presents from her students’ parents.

“I never receive any bonuses for Tet. Some times parents give me vegetables and eggs,” she said.

Huynh Thi Thu Ba, a teacher at Truong Thanh Secondary School in Co Do District in Can Tho City, is more worried about her house, which is in poor condition, than Tet.

“I heard that the city authorities would give us a bonus of VND150,000 ($8.8) for Tet, but I have not received anything,” she said.

“While other people are busy buying things for Tet, I am only worried about my house collapsing,” said Ba.

According to the education sector’s trade union, Tet bonuses for teachers depend on local budgets. Teachers’ salaries are low compared to those for other jobs, while bonuses are even lower.

Currently, the average salary for primary school teachers is about VND1.4 million ($82) a month, for those in secondary schools it is VND1.5 million, and for high schools, it is VND1.8 million.

Support

Following Nhan’s appeal, authorities in many provinces and cities have decided to present poor teachers with money for the holidays.

Director of the Department of Education and Training of Quang Nam Province Nguyen Tan Thang said the provincial People’s Committee had provided the department with VND2 billion ($110,000) to support local teachers.

According to Thai Van Long, director of Ca Mau Province’s Department of Education and Training, the department has granted VND200,000 ($17.6) to each teacher in the province.

Bui Huu Khanh, head of the Education Unit of Thanh Son District in Phu Tho Province, said that after receiving the letter, the chairman of the district’s People’s Committee decided to give VND200,000 to each of nearly 1,600 teachers in the district.

Provinces on the northern delta and in the cities of Ha Noi, Hai Phong, HCM City, Da Nang and Can Tho are not included in the list of those provided with the support.

The ministry will tell directors of departments to present the money directly to teachers, ensuring they receive the money before Tet. Those who do not receive the money before Tet are asked to present the money to teachers in advance from their local funds.

There are still more districts in other provinces which need the support, but the fund is limited, according to Tran Quang Quy, chief of the office of the Ministry of Education and Training.

“The ministry hopes to receive more contributions from other organisations and individuals to support the rest of the provinces,” he said.

(Source: Viet Nam News)