Many schools struggle with teacher shortages

To prepare for the new school year, along with preparing facilities, it is urgent to stabilize the teaching staff. However, in many localities, there is a shortage of teachers, which greatly affects the arrangement and deployment of staff before the opening day.

In the 2025-2026 school year, Ky Phuong Secondary School (Hoanh Son Ward) has 1,100 students divided into 26 classes. According to the norm of 1.9 teachers/class, the school must have 55 teachers, but in reality there are only 37 teachers. This is posing many challenges for the school in teaching arrangements.

Mr. Duong Thang Long - Principal of Ky Phuong Secondary School said: “The shortage of teachers has occurred in previous years but not as serious as this year. After operating the 2-level local government model, seconded teachers have returned to their old units and so far there has been no guidance on whether to allow contract schools or not. The school is currently short of about 18 teachers, in which some subjects are lacking a lot such as: Literature (5), English (2), the rest are Math, Biology, Physics, Music... The new school year is very close but up to now, the teaching staff is still unstable, causing the school to encounter many difficulties in developing teaching plans".

According to a review by the People's Committee of Hoanh Son Ward, currently, 7 schools in the area are short of 28 teachers compared to the demand; of which secondary school lacks 21 teachers, primary school 4 and preschool 3.

Schools in Vung Ang ward are also in a similar situation. According to the ward People's Committee, Ky Long Secondary School is short of 13 teachers, Ky Thinh Secondary School is short of 16 teachers compared to the demand. In addition, the primary level is also short of 8 teachers, the preschool level is short of 5 teachers.

Mr. Nguyen Van Giap - Vice Chairman of Vung Ang Ward People's Committee said: "The number of students in the new school year has increased and teaching is done in 2 sessions/day, so the lack of teachers is posing many challenges for schools in arranging and organizing staff. Therefore, we hope that the Provincial People's Committee will supplement the staff for schools in accordance with the characteristics of each locality, ensuring the number of classes, the number of teachers, and the quality of teaching and learning. In addition, there are solutions to rotate and second teachers, contributing to balancing the staff..."

In Ky Thuong commune, after checking, the total number of teachers lacking compared to the teaching needs of 3 levels of education in the area is 24 people; of which, 20 are at secondary school level and the rest are at preschool level. Mr. To Minh Thuong - Principal of Ky Son Secondary School said: "In the 2025-2026 school year, the school has 16 classes with 663 students, however, the current teaching staff is lacking in many subjects. Typically, Math is short of 2 people, Literature is short of 2 people, Geography is short of 2 people; History, Informatics, Physics, English are short of 1 person/subject".

Yes, currently, there is a local shortage of teachers in many areas across the province. According to the review from the Department of Education and Training, compared to the assigned staff, preschool level is short of 75 staff, primary level is short of 237 staff, secondary level is short of 93 staff and high school level, vocational education and continuing education center is short of 13 staff.

According to recommendations from localities, one of the most fundamental solutions is that the province needs to soon supplement the allocation of staff and recruitment quotas for teachers to ensure the correct number, position, and expertise. At the same time, rotate and second teachers between schools in the province to schools that are lacking, ensuring teaching in the new school year 2025-2026, overcoming the imbalance in the teaching staff between schools. In case of not being able to mobilize, it is proposed that the Provincial People's Committee allocate funds and issue a document for the policy of short-term teacher contracts according to regulations, especially for subjects that do not have teachers to meet teaching needs when the new school year is about to begin.

Discussing this issue, Mr. Le Hoai Nam - Head of the Department of Organization and Personnel, Department of Education and Training said: "To solve the local shortage of teachers, the department will proactively coordinate with departments, branches and localities to transfer and second teachers within the commune to teach inter-school and inter-level. In particular, the unit will advise the Provincial People's Committee to organize the recruitment of 279 teachers to supplement difficult areas, places with large shortages; submit to the Provincial People's Committee to continue to transfer and second teachers from one commune to another in a suitable and balanced manner.

Along with recruitment and secondment solutions, in the coming time, the Department will coordinate with the Department of Home Affairs to submit to the Provincial People's Council for approval of contract quotas according to Decree 111/2022/ND-CP in units lacking teachers. When the solutions are implemented synchronously, it is hoped that the problem of local teacher surplus and shortage for the 2025-2026 school year will be solved."

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/nhieu-truong-hoc-chat-vat-vi-thieu-giao-vien-post294065.html