VietNamNet Bridge – After the central city of Da Nang started the movement of recruiting headmasters for schools through competitions instead of designating, many other localities have been following the move.

Huynh Van Hoa from the Da Nang Education and Training Department said that a single competition will be organized to find deputy headmasters for five schools; Hoang Hoa Tham, Tran Phu, Nguyen Hien, Thanh Khe, and Ton That Tung, which is expected to be held in July and August 2009. Previously, the competitions were organized in smaller scale to meet the requirement for labourers from specific schools.

28 people had been chosen by the end of the first semester of the 2008-2009 academic year out of 58 candidates. Of these 28 people, Da Nang authorities have accredited 21 to the post of headmasters or deputy headmasters of schools.

Two headmasters and three deputy headmasters have been recruited for high schools, and five deputy headmasters have been found for secondary schools. The figures are three headmasters and eight deputy headmasters for primary schools. The other seven people will be accredited in the second semester of the school year.

According to Dang Thanh, Head of the Personnel Division under the Da Nang Education and Training Department, the recruitment of education management officials through competitions began in the 2007-2008 school year.

The candidates have to go through three stages. First, they need to meet the requirements on qualifications and achievements. Second, they need to join the writing test about the functions and tasks of schools, about the duties of management officers, and the development strategies. Third, they have to protect their plan on the operation and development of a school unit before the jury board.

Thanh said that the competitions have helped select good and qualified staff and teachers.

After Da Nang, Bac Giang and Phu Tho are also planning to recruit school headmasters through competitions.

“We are opening the doors widely to everyone, including the candidates from other cities or provinces,” said Dang Thai Phuc, Head of the Personnel Division under the Phu Tho Education and Training Department, adding that the information about the competitions will be made public on the province’s TV and local newspapers.

It is expected that the first competition will take place in summer 2009

Bac Giang and Phu Tho each plans to employ headmasters for five high schools in their localities.

Learning from the experience in Da Nang, Bac Giang and Phu Tho localities will shortlist the candidates and then ask them to take two tests, when candidates will have to write, and then protect their plan to develop the schools.

Tran Van Thanh, Head of the Personnel Division under the Bac Giang Education and Training Department, said that organizing competitions to find right people for the management posts proves to be necessary. Previously, employees with a long length of service can become managers, and in many cases, they cannot meet the requirements of the post.

Thanh admitted that he fears that there will not be enough candidates to organize competitions. Many people will not dare apply for the jobs because they may feel ashamed if they fail.

However, Thanh stressed that the local authorities have been determined to follow that way in choosing managers for schools, adding that the education and training department will have detailed plans for the competitions to be held this summer.

The HCM City earlier this year recruited the head for the district-level education sub-department. The Head of the Go Vap district education sub-department has been chosen from two candidates.

Lan Huong

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