Although Vietnam traditionally revers teachers and those working in education, as Tet approaches teachers working in the state system once again feel their low financial worth.

The highest bonus paid this year to teachers in Ha Noi is a mere VND2.4 million offered to teachers of a secondary school in Thanh Xuan district. Most will receive much less than this.

Unlike private schools which are able to offer their teachers high Tet bonuses, those working in state-owned schools are subject to the rigorous bookkeeping of the MOET who insist they are unable to match bonuses of other civil servant sectors.

Many teachers are expecting a bonus of little more than VND300.000, and perhaps a bunch of flowers. Those who have achieved excellent results in the past year may receive an additional VND50.000 to VND100.000 as in previous years.

Nguyen Thi Thanh from the Bich Hoa Secondary School in Thanh Oai district says that few teachers are expecting Tet gifts from their students, many of whom are living barely above the poverty line and will be struggling to celebrate Tet themselves.

“The local people live from hand to mouth, let alone the saving money for buying gifts for teachers.”

Despite the low bonuses offered to teachers in Ha Noi, many feel they are far luckier than their counterparts who work in rural or remote areas. However, there is a general feeling of resentment among teachers as they compare what they receive to workers in other sectors.

Many state teachers also express jealousy of their colleagues working in private education, some of whom can expect bonuses this month of many million Dong. 

A teacher from ACG Vietnam International Schools revealed her bonus this year would be a, “relatively big sum of money,” while the top bonus expected at Asia International School is believed to be as high as VND12 million.

“Teaching has been praised as a noble career”, says Thanh, "but our modest income shows how we are really valued."

[Vietnam Net // Photo via iloasiapacific]