HCMC faces difficulties in teacher recruitment

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, existing shortage of teachers in Ho Chi Minh City may be worse.
University graduates sit for recruitment test (Photo: SGGP)
University graduates sit for recruitment test (Photo: SGGP)
In the approaching school year 2020-2021, Nguyen Du High School in District 10 needs 13 teachers and one clerk and it has publicized the recruitment. Of 76 applicants, 72 were recruited for the next round of teaching skill test.
However, 28 of applicants are Math teachers while the school needs 4 only, 10 chemistry teachers whereas the school just needs one only. Oppositely, the school needs English and IT teachers, there was one English graduate applied for the job and no IT graduates applied for.
Similarly, Nguyen Huu Huan High School in Thu Duc District needs English and IT teachers but nine applicants are Math graduates without English and IT applicants. More and more schools are short of English and IT teachers.
According to the city Department of Education and Training, the academic year 2020-2021, Linh Trung High School, Binh Chieu High School and Nguyen Du High School has most applicants with 102, 90 and 76 while other schools receive a few applications .
Sharing the problem with Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper, Vice Principal of a High School in Thu Duc District said that shortage of English and IT teachers has been a chronic problem for nearly 10 years; yet, the education authority has been confused at dealing with the matter.
The Vice Principal pointed out that English graduates can earn more money if they work in foreign companies. Therefore, without additional benefits besides basic salary, schools will continue experiencing shortage of English and IT teachers endlessly.
Schools in outlying districts are more difficult in recruiting teachers as per the education sector’s statistics. For instance, high schools Thanh An, Binh Khanh and An Nghia in Can Gio District; schools Cu Chi, Trung Lap, and Tan Thong Hoi in Cu Chi District and Phuoc Kien in Nha Be had seen no applicants.
Lately, Deputy Director of the Education Department Nguyen Van Hieu spoke at a meeting to review graduation rate that to improve teacher quality in suburban districts, the Department has increased training and run fresh courses for years.
However, he admitted that to attract good teachers, the department petitioned city authorities to adopt preferential policies and build more schools and spend on teaching equipment to raise education quality in outlying districts.
For the approaching academic year 2020-2021, 103 high schools and continuous education centers need 495 teachers. Approximately 1,191 applicants are eligible to enter the next round. The list of recruited teachers will be publicized on August 24.

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