Caring for teachers must be substantial.

Discussing at the morning group on November 9, Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung emphasized the necessity of developing and promulgating the draft Law on Teachers.

The Minister said that teaching is a noble profession that the whole society respects and honors. Therefore, policies for teachers need to be comprehensive, consistent, and practical so that educators can live on their salaries and are motivated to do their work and teach well.

To make taking care of teachers' lives a reality and no longer just a slogan, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung said that the draft law needs to go deeper and focus on a few basic issues.

First, the head of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs mentioned ensuring salaries and allowances for teachers. Only when their lives are guaranteed can teachers feel secure in doing their jobs well.

"We don't always see teachers only teaching extra classes and struggling to make a living. Therefore, we need to pay special attention to teachers' salaries and allowances," the Minister emphasized.

Second, regarding other preferential policies suitable for each field, subject, and type of education, the head of the industry gave an example of policies for university education. Here, the most important thing to pay attention to is real autonomy, financial autonomy, and authority in personnel work.

Because university autonomy is a breakthrough in education, it is also a highlight that the draft Law raises.

Along with that, the Minister also noted the policy on housing and public housing, especially in remote areas. "Public housing needs to be used properly. When the working period ends, it needs to be returned, and public housing cannot be turned into private housing," Mr. Dung stated his opinion.

According to Minister Dao Ngoc Dung, currently, our country is focusing on consolidating and improving the quality of schools, but the situation of schools that do not meet requirements, temporary and dilapidated buildings are still widespread.

To address the above situation, the Minister emphasized the need to clearly stipulate that the state is responsible for investing the budget to build solid schools, along with mobilizing support from society.

In general, the Minister said that it is necessary to develop principles on real preferential policies for the education sector, educators, and managers, not specific "favor" policies.

The Minister reiterated that when the new draft was being consulted, there were specific policies that teachers themselves did not like. Therefore, it is necessary to choose priority policies that are substantive.

Carefully assess the impact of reducing the retirement age of preschool teachers

Regarding the regulation on early retirement in the education sector, the head of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs reiterated that the Labor Code stipulates that in the fields of heavy, toxic, dangerous and especially heavy, toxic, dangerous work, early retirement is allowed without deduction of the benefit rate.

Currently, the whole country has 1,840 jobs and specific fields that are eligible for early retirement, including some fields and jobs in the education sector.

The Minister expressed his views on supporting those in heavy, toxic, dangerous or especially heavy, toxic, dangerous occupations and jobs to retire early without having their pension benefits reduced.

However, the industry leader analyzed the difference between career age and retirement age. When the career age in some specific fields and jobs is over, there needs to be a plan and policy for career and job conversion. In addition to their own plans, the government also has support policies.

Regarding the proposal to allow preschool teachers to retire 5 years early without deductions, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung pointed out that the draft Law still has general provisions and has not fully assessed the related impacts.

The Minister proposed that among the 300,000 preschool teachers, managers, and service staff, it is necessary to specifically classify those who wish to retire early and assess the impact of this proposal.

The Minister reaffirmed his full support for groups of occupations and jobs that are arduous and hazardous to early retirement, but the impact needs to be carefully assessed. The assessment is both necessary for the law-making process and more appropriate to reality.