Circular No. 05/2025/TT-BGDĐT stipulates working conditions for secondary school teachers and preparatory university teachers.

CIRCULAR

Regulations on Working Conditions for Secondary School Teachers and Pre-University Teachers undergraduate reserve

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On the basis of Law on Education June 14, 2019;

Pursuant to the Labor Code on November 20, 2019;

On the basis of Government Decree No. Decree No. 37/2025/NĐ-CP dated February 26, 2025 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

On the basis of Decree No. 84/2020/NĐ-CP dated July 17, 2020 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Law on Education;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Teachers and Educational Management Staff;

The Minister of Education and Training issues this Circular to regulate working conditions for secondary school teachers and pre-university teachers.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular regulates working conditions for teachers teaching at secondary education institutions, pre-university schools, including: duties, working hours, annual leave, class hour quotas, reduction in class hour quotas, and conversion of other activities into class hours.

Article 2. Applicability

1. This Circular applies to teachers directly engaged in teaching and management staff holding positions (including principals and vice-principals) at primary schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, multi-grade secondary schools, boarding schools for ethnic minorities, non-boarding schools for ethnic minorities, specialized schools, and schools or classes for persons with disabilities (hereinafter referred to collectively as secondary schools) and pre-university schools.

2. Directors and deputy directors of continuing education centers and vocational training and continuing education centers shall implement the working conditions for principals and vice-principals as prescribed in this Circular until otherwise provided by competent authorities.

Teachers teaching regular education programs at continuing education centers and vocational training and continuing education centers shall implement the working conditions for secondary school and pre-university teachers as prescribed in this Circular until otherwise provided by competent authorities.

Principals of private secondary schools shall base on the charter of the school's organization and operation and the resolution of the School Council to establish working conditions for teachers that comply with this Circular and labor laws.

Article 3. Principles for Determining Working Conditions

1. Teachers' working time is implemented according to the academic year and converted into class hours, including the number of class hours in one academic year and the average number of class hours per week as specified in Article 7 of this Circular. The working time of principals and vice-principals must ensure 40 hours per week, including the number of class hours as specified in Article 8 of this Circular.

2. The allocation and assignment of duties to teachers must comply with the regulations on class hour quotas, working hours, and rest periods as stipulated by law; ensuring transparency and fairness among teachers within the same school. In cases where teachers need to be assigned additional duties, the principal shall prioritize assigning additional duties to teachers who have not reached the average class hour quota per week and ensure that teachers meet the requirements of the assigned duties.

Based on the educational plan, the current staffing situation, and the class hour quota for one academic year, the principal shall assign teachers to teach according to the average class hour quota per week. In cases where it is necessary to assign teachers to teach beyond the average class hour quota per week (including converted class hours for additional duties), the total number of extra class hours per week shall not exceed 50% of the average class hour quota per week, and the total number of extra class hours in one academic year shall not exceed the number of overtime hours as stipulated by labor laws.

3. Each teacher shall not concurrently hold more than two duties as specified in Articles 9, 10, and 11 of this Circular.

For duties as specified in Chapter III of this Circular (excluding concurrent duties under Clause 3 and Clause 5 of Article 9; Clause 1, Clause 2, and Clause 3 of Article 10 of this Circular), if such duties have already been compensated with remuneration or allowances, then the class hour quota shall not be reduced or converted into class hours.

4. Teachers teaching at multi-grade secondary schools shall implement the class hour quota for teachers at the grade level corresponding to their appointed position.

In cases where a teacher is assigned to teach at a grade level corresponding to their appointed position and also at another grade level, each class hour taught at the other grade level shall be counted as one standard class hour.

5. For duties not covered by the reduction in class hour quotas under Articles 9, 10, and 11 or not covered by the conversion into class hours under Article 13 of this Circular, the principal shall base on the complexity and workload of the duty, estimate the converted class hours for the duty, and seek the opinion of the School Council. After reaching a consensus, the principal shall decide on the converted class hours for the duty and report to the competent authority. In cases where there is no School Council, the principal shall seek the opinions of the vice-principals, party committee members, and heads and deputies of professional groups.

Chapter II

DUTIES, WORKING HOURS, ANNUAL LEAVE

AND CLASS HOUR QUOTAS

Article 4. Duties of teachers and class advisors

1. The duties of teachers shall be carried out in accordance with the regulations stipulated in the charter, organizational and operational rules for each level of education, educational institution, and the duties prescribed by competent authorities for each rank of vocational titles.

2. The duties of class advisors at primary schools, specialized schools, and other educational institutions implementing the general education program at the primary level shall be implemented in accordance with the Primary School Charter.

3. The duties of class advisors at lower secondary schools, upper secondary schools, multi-level general education schools, specialized schools, and other educational institutions implementing the general education program at the lower secondary and upper secondary levels, preparatory university schools:

a) Implementing the duties of teachers as prescribed;

b) Proactively gathering information on students in the class assigned to them as class advisors; developing and organizing the implementation of class activity plans to promote the progress of the class and its students; organizing class activities;

c) Closely coordinating with parents or guardians of students, subject teachers, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Ho Chi Minh Pioneer Organization, relevant associations, and social organizations to organize educational activities and support, monitor students' study and training in the class assigned to them as class advisors; compiling and providing comments and evaluations of students at the end of the first semester and the school year; guiding students to elect and propose awards; listing students promoted to the next grade, students not promoted, and students required to train during summer break; completing student records;

d) Guiding and managing students participating in experiential activities, educational activities, and student training organized by the school;

đ) Regularly or urgently reporting on the situation of the class to the principal.

Article 5. Working hours of principals, deputy principals, and teachers

1. The working hours in the academic year for principals, deputy principals, and teachers at general education schools is 42 weeks, including:

a) 37 weeks teaching the contents in the general education program (including 35 weeks of actual teaching and 2 weeks as reserve);

b) 3 weeks for studying and enhancing qualifications;

c) 2 weeks for preparing for the new academic year and summarizing the current academic year.

2. The working hours in the academic year for principals, deputy principals, and teachers at preparatory university schools is 42 weeks, including:

a) 28 weeks teaching and organizing educational activities according to the academic year plan;

b) 12 weeks for studying and enhancing qualifications, building materials, conducting scientific research, and other activities according to the academic year plan;

c) 2 weeks for preparing for the new academic year and summarizing the current academic year.

3. In cases of emergency or urgent situations to prevent natural disasters, epidemics, or other critical circumstances requiring adjustments to the academic year schedule, the number of weeks teaching the educational contents in the general education program shall be implemented in accordance with the adjusted regulations of the competent authority.

Article 6. Annual leave of principals, deputy principals, and teachers

1. The annual leave of teachers includes:

a) Summer vacation time as stipulated in point a, Clause 1, Article 3 of Decree No. 84/2020/NĐ-CP dated July 17, 2020, detailing certain provisions of the Education Law.

During the summer vacation, teachers participate in training and enhancement programs based on job requirements, and join final exams for upper secondary school graduation and admission processes when called upon by competent authorities;

b) Holiday and other rest days as stipulated in the Labor Code and Social Insurance Law;

c) Based on the academic year plan, scale, characteristics, and specific conditions of each school, the principal arranges the annual leave of teachers appropriately and in compliance with regulations, ensuring the academic year schedule.

2. In cases where the summer vacation period overlaps with maternity leave for female teachers, in addition to the leave stipulated in point b, Clause 1 of this Article, the leave of teachers includes:

a) Maternity leave as prescribed;

b) Summer vacation time outside of maternity leave (before or after maternity leave);

c) If the summer vacation period stipulated in point b of this clause is less than the annual leave days prescribed by the Labor Code, teachers will have additional leave days. The total number of additional leave days and the leave days stipulated in point b of this clause equals the annual leave days prescribed by the Labor Code. Additional leave time can be flexibly arranged through agreement between the teacher and the principal.

3. In cases where male teachers are entitled to paternity leave when their wives give birth according to the Social Insurance Law, during the paternity leave period, male teachers are counted as having fulfilled their teaching quota as prescribed and do not need to make up for missed classes. If the paternity leave period coincides with the summer vacation, they cannot take compensatory leave.

4. Annual leave of principals and deputy principals:

a) The annual leave of principals and deputy principals includes summer vacation; holiday and other rest days as stipulated in the Labor Code and Social Insurance Law;

b) The summer vacation of principals and deputy principals is flexibly arranged within the academic year and during the teachers' summer vacation to ensure normal school operations and completion of tasks called upon by management authorities at various levels (if applicable). The summer vacation schedule of principals and deputy principals must be reported to the competent authority or according to the delegation.

Article 7. Teaching load standards for teachers

1. The teaching load standard is the total number of theoretical (or practical) lessons that each teacher must directly teach (or teach online) in one academic year.

2. The teaching load in one academic year is determined as follows:

In which, the number of teaching weeks is the number of weeks teaching educational contents in the curriculum (excluding reserve weeks).

3. Average weekly teaching load

a) Elementary school teachers have 23 lessons, middle school teachers have 19 lessons, high school teachers have 17 lessons;

b) Teachers at boarding schools for elementary students have 21 lessons, teachers at boarding schools for middle school students have 17 lessons, teachers at residential schools for middle school students have 17 lessons, teachers at residential schools for high school students have 15 lessons;

In addition to teaching according to the prescribed teaching load, teachers at boarding schools and residential schools also participate in other tasks assigned by the principal, including student management, tutoring, student enhancement, and organizing special educational activities of boarding schools and residential schools to ensure the overall operation of the school;

c) Teachers at schools and classes for persons with disabilities have 21 lessons for primary level, 17 lessons for middle school level, and 15 lessons for high school level;

d) Teachers at preparatory universities have 12 lessons;

đ) Teachers serving as General Leaders of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union are 2 lessons for elementary schools with 28 classes or more in Region 2 and Region 3, and 19 classes or more in Region 1; 8 lessons for other elementary schools;

The basis for dividing regions is implemented according to the provisions of Circular No. 20/2023/TT-BGDĐT dated October 30, 2023, issued by the Minister of Education and Training guiding positions and staffing levels in public general education institutions and specialized schools;

e) Teachers serving as General Leaders of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union are 2 lessons for middle schools with 28 classes or more in Region 2 and Region 3, and 19 classes or more in Region 1; 6 lessons for other middle schools;

g) Teachers serving as General Leaders of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union are 2 lessons for general schools with multiple levels having a total of 28 classes or more of primary and middle school levels in Region 2 and Region 3, and 19 classes or more in Region 1; 6 lessons for other general schools with multiple levels;

Article 8. Teaching load standards for principals and deputy principals

1. In addition to leadership and management duties, principals and deputy principals of general schools and preparatory universities must teach some lessons within the curriculum to understand the content, objectives of the curriculum, and the learning situation of students to enhance the effectiveness of leadership and management.

2. The teaching load in one academic year is determined as follows:

In which, the number of teaching weeks is the number of weeks teaching educational contents in the general education curriculum (excluding reserve weeks).

3. Average weekly teaching load

a) Principals have 2 lessons;

b) Deputy principals have 4 lessons.

4. Principals and deputy principals shall not convert the reduced teaching load regime for concurrently held tasks as stipulated in Articles 9, 10, and 11 of this Circular to replace the teaching load regime prescribed in Clause 3 of this Article.

5. When fulfilling the teaching load regime prescribed in Clause 3 of this Article, principals and deputy principals shall apply the provisions of Article 13 of this Circular to calculate the total number of lessons when calculating additional teaching hours (if any).

Chapter III

REGIME OF REDUCED TEACHING LOAD AND CONVERSION

SPECIALIZED ACTIVITIES INTO LESSONS

Article 9. Reduction of teaching hours for teachers concurrently performing specialized tasks

1. Class advisors at general secondary schools shall be reduced by 04 periods per week.

2. Class advisors at university preparatory schools shall be reduced by 03 periods per week.

3. Heads of subject departments or heads of subject groups shall be reduced by 03 periods per week; deputy heads of subject departments or deputy heads of subject groups shall be reduced by 01 period per week.

4. Heads of student management teams in boarding schools for ethnic minorities and boarding schools for ethnic minorities with partial residential programs shall be reduced by 03 periods per week; deputies of student management teams in boarding schools for ethnic minorities and boarding schools for ethnic minorities with partial residential programs shall be reduced by 01 period per week.

5. Teachers concurrently serving as functional department heads at university preparatory schools shall be reduced by 06 periods per week; teachers concurrently serving as deputy functional department heads at university preparatory schools shall be reduced by 05 periods per week.

6. When there is no equipment technician or laboratory technician at the school, teachers concurrently responsible for subject classrooms (excluding computer rooms) shall be reduced by 03 periods per subject per week; teachers concurrently responsible for educational equipment rooms shall be reduced by 03 periods per week.

Article 10. Reduction of teaching hours for teachers concurrently performing Party work, mass organizations, and other functions within the school

1. Teachers concurrently serving as Party branch secretaries or Party cell secretaries (in places without a Party branch) at schools with 28 classes or more in Region 2 and Region 3, and 19 classes or more in Region 1 shall be reduced by 04 periods per week; at other schools, they shall be reduced by 03 periods per week.

2. Teachers concurrently performing trade union duties shall have their teaching hour reduction implemented according to the provisions set forth in Circular No. 08/2016/TT-BGDĐT dated March 28, 2016, issued by the Minister of Education and Training on the reduction of teaching hours for teachers and lecturers performing non-professional trade union duties in public education institutions under the national education system.

3. Teachers concurrently performing duties as Youth League Secretaries or Youth Assistants, Youth Advisors, or Deputy Youth League Secretaries at the school level shall implement teaching hour reductions according to the provisions set forth in Decision No. 13/2013/QĐ-TTg dated February 6, 2013, issued by the Prime Minister regarding policies and benefits for Communist Youth League cadres and Vietnam Student Union members in educational institutions and vocational training centers.

4. Teachers concurrently serving as chairpersons of school councils or secretaries of school councils shall be reduced by 02 periods per week.

5. Teachers concurrently serving as heads of people's internal inspection boards at schools shall be reduced by 02 periods per week.

Article 11. Reduction of teaching hours for teachers concurrently performing other positions

For positions that cannot be staffed and must be assigned to teachers concurrently, the school may use teaching hours for these tasks, specifically as follows:

1. Teachers concurrently performing administrative duties

a) The number of periods reduced for teachers assigned to perform administrative duties shall be decided by the principal, ensuring it is appropriate to the workload of the concurrent position. The total number of periods reduced for all teachers concurrently performing administrative duties shall not exceed the number of periods allocated for administrative duties at the school as stipulated in point b of this clause;

b) The number of periods used for administrative duties is 08 periods per week for general secondary schools with 28 classes or more in Region 2 and Region 3, and 19 classes or more in Region 1; it is 04 periods per week for other general secondary schools.

2. Teachers concurrently performing student counseling duties

a) The number of periods reduced for teachers assigned to perform student counseling duties shall be decided by the principal, ensuring it is appropriate to the workload of the concurrent position. The total number of periods reduced for all teachers concurrently performing student counseling duties shall not exceed the number of periods allocated for student counseling duties at the school as stipulated in point b of this clause;

b) The number of periods used for student counseling duties is 08 periods per week for general secondary schools with 28 classes or more in Region 2 and Region 3, and 19 classes or more in Region 1; it is 04 periods per week for other general secondary schools.

3. Teachers concurrently performing information technology duties (including responsibility for computer rooms) shall be reduced by 03 periods per week.

4. Teachers concurrently performing clerical duties shall be reduced by 03 periods per week.

5. Teachers concurrently performing library duties (including responsibility for the library room) shall be reduced by 03 periods per week.

6. Teachers concurrently performing support services for students with disabilities shall be reduced by 03 periods per week.

7. Teachers concurrently performing administrative duties in functional departments at university preparatory schools shall be reduced by 03 periods per week.

Article 12. Reduction of teaching load for other categories

1. Teachers during their probation period shall be reduced by 02 periods/week.

2. Female teachers who are nursing children under 12 months old teaching at primary schools shall be reduced by 04 periods/week; teaching at other educational institutions shall be reduced by 03 periods/week.

3. Teachers during the time they are undergoing medical examination and treatment (not exceeding the prescribed time limit), with the agreement of the school principal and confirmation from the authorized medical facility, shall not have to make up for the assigned teaching periods according to the plan, and these periods shall be counted towards the teacher's teaching quota.

Article 13. Conversion of other professional activities into teaching periods

1. One direct teaching period (or online) shall be converted into one standard period for the following professional activities:

a) Online teaching according to the school’s educational plan (not organized by class) where the number of students participating in the lesson is less than the average number of students of two classes (the average number of students/class as stipulated in Circular No. 20/2023/TT-BGDĐT);

b) Teaching Vietnamese to ethnic minority children before entering first grade as prescribed (except in cases stipulated in point d, Clause 2 of this Article);

c) Inter-school teaching (where teachers are authorized by the competent authority to participate in teaching activities simultaneously at two or more schools);

d) Teaching students to prepare for admission exams or graduation exams as prescribed.

2. One direct teaching period (or online) shall be converted into 1.5 standard periods for the following professional activity:

a) Lecturer at training or professional development sessions for teachers organized by the school principal or authorized body (including core teachers);

b) Demonstration teaching at subject meetings according to the plan;

c) Reporting at extracurricular activities, experiential learning or vocational guidance activities organized by the school for students on a grade level or school-wide scale (with lesson plans or teaching schedules or presentation outlines);

d) Teaching Vietnamese to ethnic minority children before entering first grade during summer break;

đ) Online teaching according to the school’s educational plan for two or more classes (teaching simultaneously) or in cases not organized by class where the number of students participating in the lesson is equal to or greater than the average number of students of two classes (the average number of students/class as stipulated in Circular No. 20/2023/TT-BGDĐT).

3. Teachers participating in remedial teaching for students or additional teaching for students whose final exam results in the previous semester were below satisfactory according to the school’s educational plan, shall have one direct teaching period converted into a maximum of 1.5 standard periods. The school principal shall determine the specific conversion of teaching periods based on the organizational scale of the remedial or additional class, and the ability of the students in the remedial or additional class, after obtaining the consensus opinion of the School Council.

4. Teachers participating in nurturing outstanding students, nurturing students participating in the Phu Dong Health Festival, nurturing students participating in the National Defense and Security Sports Meet, guiding students to participate in science and technology competitions, guiding students to participate in student entrepreneurship idea contests according to the school’s educational plan, shall have one direct teaching period (or online) converted into a maximum of 02 standard periods. The school principal shall determine the specific conversion of teaching periods based on the scale and level of the competition after obtaining the consensus opinion of the School Council.

5. Teachers teaching specialized subjects in specialized classes in specialized schools shall have one specialized teaching period converted into 03 standard periods.

6. Teachers assigned to serve as judges in teacher competitions or meetings at the school level according to the plan (competitions or meetings as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training) shall have one period of direct participation in judging counted as one standard period.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 14. Implementation Organization

2. The principal of general education schools and preparatory universities shall be responsible for organizing the implementation of the working regime and creating conditions for teachers to implement the working regime as prescribed in this Circular.

Article 15. Implementation Provisions

1. This Circular shall take effect from April 22, 2025.

2. This Circular replaces Circular No. 28/2009/TT-BGDĐT dated October 21, 2009 issued by the Minister of Education and Training prescribing the working regime for secondary school teachers; and Circular No. 15/2017/TT-BGDĐT dated June 9, 2017 issued by the Minister of Education and Training amending and supplementing certain provisions of the Circular No. 28/2009/TT-BGDĐT dated October 21, 2009 issued by the Minister of Education and Training.

3. Article 9 of Circular No. 16/2017/TT-BGDĐT dated July 12, 2017 issued by the Minister of Education and Training guiding the framework of job positions and staffing quotas in public general education institutions shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect.

4. In cases where the referenced documents in this Circular are amended, supplemented, or replaced, they shall be implemented according to the new documents.