Circular No. 07/2006/TT-BGDĐT guiding standards, procedures, and formalities for the awarding of the titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher

CIRCULAR

Guidelines on standards, procedures, formalities, and documentation for awarding the titles of People's Teacher and Outstanding Teacher

People's Teacher, Distinguished Teacher

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Pursuant to the Law on Competition and Reward dated November 26, 2003, and the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Law on Competition and Reward dated June 14, 2005;

Pursuant to Decree No. 121/2005/NĐ-CP dated September 30, 2005 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain Articles of the Law on Competition and Rewards and the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Law on Competition and Rewards;

After reaching consensus with the Central Steering Committee for Competition and Reward;

The Ministry of Education and Training issues guidelines on standards, procedures, formalities, and documentation for awarding the titles of People's Teacher and Outstanding Teacher as follows:

I. GENERAL GUIDELINES

1. Scope and Objectives

a) These Circulars provide guidance on standards, procedures, formalities, and documentation for awarding the titles of People's Teacher and Outstanding Teacher.

b) These Circulars apply to teachers in educational institutions and education management officials including:

- Kindergarten teachers, primary school teachers, middle school teachers, high school teachers, teachers working at continuing education centers, comprehensive vocational training centers, and vocational training centers;

- Teachers in vocational schools, secondary technical schools; lecturers in colleges, universities, Party schools, mass organizations' schools, and other national education institutions;

- Management officials in educational institutions including principals, vice-principals, and staff working in departments and offices of universities, colleges, academies; officials working in education management agencies such as Departments of Education and Training, Provincial Departments of Education and Training, the Ministry of Education and Training, training management units within Ministries and sectors, and educational research agencies;

c) Individuals who fall under the category specified in point b, Clause 1 of this section, and retire after December 31, 2003, are eligible for the awarding of the title of People's Teacher and Outstanding Teacher in the 2006 round since the 2004 round did not take place.

d) Teachers and education management officials who have retired (excluding those mentioned in point c of this section) and continue to work at schools or other educational institutions are not eligible for the awarding of the title of People's Teacher and Outstanding Teacher.

2. Time for Awarding the Titles of People's Teacher and Outstanding Teacher

The titles of People's Teacher and Outstanding Teacher are reviewed and announced every two years on the occasion of Teachers' Day on November 20.

II. STANDARDS FOR AWARDING

1. Standards for People's Teacher

The individual proposed for the award of the title of People's Teacher must meet the following criteria:

a) Morality: Loyalty to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; having good moral qualities, being dedicated to their profession, loving and caring for students, setting a fine example for students and colleagues to follow.

b) Having outstanding pedagogical talent and making significant contributions to the nation's educational cause:

- Having been conferred the title of Outstanding Teacher by the State, for at least six years prior to the year of nomination;

- Achieving remarkable results, contributing effectively to the reform of the educational cause;

- Demonstrating high-quality teaching performance, producing many excellent students, discovering and nurturing students with special talents, contributing to the cultivation of talented individuals;

- Excellently fulfilling assigned tasks, playing a crucial role in building the unit into an advanced and outstanding collective;

- Proposing numerous innovative solutions, scientific research projects widely applied in teaching and education or educational management, ranked as good or better by the Ministry-level or State Science Council from the year they were awarded the title of Outstanding Teacher:

+ For kindergarten, primary, middle, and high school teachers; teachers working at continuing education centers, comprehensive vocational training centers, vocational training centers; teachers in secondary technical schools, vocational schools: proposing many innovative solutions, scientific research projects to improve the quality of education and training, evaluated and ranked as good or better by the Ministry-level or provincial Science Council;

+ For lecturers in colleges, universities, Party schools, mass organizations' schools: being the chief editor of many textbooks, leading Ministry-level scientific research projects, or leading branches of State-level scientific research projects effectively applied in teaching, evaluated and rated as good or better by the Ministry-level or State Science Council;

+ For education management officials: having scientific research projects evaluated and ranked as good or better by provincial, Ministry-level, or State Science Councils, effectively applied in improving management methods and enhancing management efficiency; successfully advising and implementing reforms and development of the educational cause, contributing to the unit's effective fulfillment of its functions and achieving outstanding results.

c) Having a wide influence in the field and society:

- Making significant achievements in mentoring and assisting colleagues in professional skills and scientific research.

- Having a high reputation and broad influence in the field and society, maintaining and promoting the influence of an Outstanding Teacher, being a prominent model teacher recognized by colleagues, respected by students and the public.

d) Having directly nurtured and taught for at least 20 years.

- For education management officials and educational researchers, they must have worked in the field for at least 25 years, including at least 15 years directly nurturing and teaching; time spent managing while also teaching does not count as direct teaching time.

2. Standards for Outstanding Teacher

a) The individual proposed for the award of the title of Outstanding Teacher must meet the following criteria:

- Morality: Loyalty to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; having good moral qualities, being dedicated to their profession, loving and caring for students, setting an example for students and colleagues to follow;

- Having pedagogical talent and making contributions to the educational cause; being respected by students, colleagues, and the public:

+ Demonstrating high-quality teaching performance, achieving clear results, producing many excellent students;

+ Successfully completing assigned tasks with significant contributions to building the unit or school into an outstanding labor collective;

+ Having innovative ideas, experiences, or scientific research projects that have been effectively applied in teaching, education, or educational management and rated as good or higher by the Scientific Council at various levels;

- Having directly nurtured and taught for at least 15 years. For educational administrators and researchers, they must have worked in the field for at least 20 years, including at least 10 years of direct nurturing and teaching; time spent as an administrator who also teaches does not count towards direct teaching time;

b) Specific criteria regarding pedagogical talent and contributions to the educational cause for teachers at each level and educational administrators:

- For kindergarten teachers:

+ Ensuring high quality and effectiveness in nurturing children, implementing childcare and education activities to a high standard, reducing malnutrition rates among children, and attracting more children to attend school;

+ Excellently fulfilling the goals and requirements of early childhood education, contributing to building the unit into an outstanding labor collective within the field;

+ Having innovative ideas or improvements to better nurture children, recognized by the teaching staff at the school level or above;

+ Being a distinguished teacher or model worker at the grassroots level for at least five years;

+ Helping and fostering many excellent kindergarten teachers; being trusted and recognized by colleagues as a distinguished kindergarten teacher and by parents as a reliable educator;

+ Guiding and mobilizing many parents to scientifically raise their children, achieving good results;

- For primary school teachers:

+ Excellently performing the duties of a primary school teacher, making significant achievements in combating illiteracy and universalizing primary education; achieving high quality and effectiveness in teaching, with many students ranking as excellent;

+ Making significant contributions to building the unit into an outstanding labor collective; being recognized by colleagues as a distinguished primary school teacher and a role model in local education; being a model teacher respected by students, parents, and the community;

+ For teachers in areas with particularly difficult economic and social conditions, or ethnic minority teachers: having a spirit of overcoming difficulties, staying committed to schools and classes, dedicating themselves to students, and employing many measures to attract students to class and maintain student numbers;

+ Having innovative ideas or experiences applied in teaching and educating students, recognized by the Scientific Council of the education sector at the district level or above;

+ Being a distinguished teacher or model worker at the grassroots level for at least five years;

+ Achieving many accomplishments in helping colleagues become distinguished teachers, fostering a team of excellent teachers at the school and local levels;

- For junior high school and high school teachers:

+ Teaching and educating students to a high standard, promoting their initiative and intelligence, with many students achieving excellence at various levels;

+ Making significant contributions to building the unit into an outstanding labor collective, contributing to the stability and development of local education;

+ For teachers in areas with particularly difficult economic and social conditions, or ethnic minority teachers: having a spirit of overcoming difficulties to build classrooms and guide students, with many students growing up to contribute to their communities;

+ Having innovative ideas or experiences applied in teaching and management, recognized by the Scientific Council of the education sector at the provincial level or above;

+ Being a distinguished teacher or model worker at the provincial level for at least five years;

+ Achieving many accomplishments in fostering a team of excellent teachers at the school and local levels;

+ Being recognized by colleagues as a distinguished teacher and a model teacher in the local education sector, respected by students, parents, and the community;

- For teachers at vocational colleges and technical schools:

+ Teaching to a high standard, contributing significantly to reforming training objectives, content, and programs. Contributing to training skilled technicians and workers for the industry and locality, with many students excelling both theoretically and practically;

+ Having many effective solutions, innovative ideas, or improvements applied, recognized by the Scientific Council at the school level or above;

+ Being recognized as a distinguished teacher at the school level or a model worker at the grassroots level for at least five years, including recognition as a distinguished teacher at the provincial level or a model worker at the provincial level for at least two years for vocational colleges and technical schools in the locality, or being recognized by the Ministry in charge as a distinguished teacher at the national level;

+ Making significant contributions to building and fostering a team of excellent teachers in departments and schools;

+ Making significant contributions to guiding students to improve their study methods and research, resulting in many excellent students;

- For university lecturers:

+ Teaching and guiding students in research and internships to a high standard; contributing significantly to reforming educational objectives, content, programs, methods, and improving educational quality;

+ Having a strong track record in scientific research, authoring textbooks, leading national-level scientific research projects, or branch projects of state-level scientific research projects applied in teaching, recognized as excellent by the Scientific Council at the national or ministry level;

+ Being recognized as a distinguished lecturer at the school level or a model worker at the grassroots level for at least five years, including recognition as a distinguished teacher at the provincial level for schools under provincial jurisdiction, or at the national level for schools under the ministry's jurisdiction;

+ Making significant contributions to building and fostering a team of excellent lecturers in specialties and schools;

+ Has made significant contributions in guiding students to improve their study methods; actively engaged in scientific research with high achievements, having many outstanding students, and contributing to training excellent individuals for the country.

- For management staff as specified in point b, Section I:

+ During the period of direct teaching, there must be at least three years as an outstanding teacher or lecturer as defined according to the level of education and training, and during the period of management work, there must be at least one year as a provincial or ministry-level labor model;

+ The period of educational management work must have solutions, innovations, or scientific research projects that promote management reform and enhance management efficiency, evaluated as good or higher by the provincial or ministry-level scientific council; has advised and organized the implementation of educational reform and development efforts effectively, contributing to the unit's successful fulfillment of its functions and achieving outstanding results.

3. Points to note in the process of awarding the title of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher

a) For cadres and teachers currently working in the education sector who were mobilized to areas B and C during the anti-American war for national salvation, the time spent working in these battlefields shall be counted as direct teaching time;

b) The awarding councils at all levels should pay special attention to teachers directly engaged in teaching, teachers working in mountainous, island, remote, and ethnic minority regions, and kindergarten, primary, secondary, and vocational school teachers. Due to the nature and scope of activities of teachers at various educational levels and training programs, when considering the influence of teachers on their respective fields, the main focus should be on their impact within their specific educational level and training program in their locality;

c) The subjects proposed for the awarding of the titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher must meet the criteria stipulated in Sections I and II of this Circular and must not be under disciplinary action;

III. PROCEDURE, PROCEDURES AND FILES

1. Establishment of the Council for Awarding the Titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher

a) The grassroots Council for Awarding the Titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher (hereinafter referred to as the Grassroots Council);

- The Grassroots Council is the council at schools of various educational levels and training programs in the national education system, as well as at educational management agencies such as the Department of Education and Training, the Provincial Department of Education and Training, the Ministry of Education and Training, and educational research units. The Grassroots Council is established by the school principal or head of the unit;

- The composition of the Grassroots Council is as follows:

+ For kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, high schools, supplementary education centers, comprehensive vocational education centers, continuing education centers, and vocational training centers: The principal or director serves as chairman, the chairman of the trade union serves as vice-chairman, the deputy principal or deputy director, the head of the specialized department, and representatives of teachers or labor models and People's Teachers and Distinguished Teachers (if any) serve as members;

+ For vocational high schools and vocational training schools: The principal serves as chairman, the chairman of the trade union serves as vice-chairman, the deputy principal, the head of the department or block, and the head of the office or bureau, and representatives of excellent teachers or labor models and People's Teachers and Distinguished Teachers (if any) serve as members;

+ For colleges, universities, academies, and member institutions of National Universities and Regional Universities: The principal serves as chairman, the chairman of the trade union serves as vice-chairman, the deputy principal, the head of the department or faculty, and representatives of excellent lecturers or labor models, People's Teachers, and Distinguished Teachers (if any) serve as members;

+ For educational management agencies and educational research units: The head of the agency serves as chairman, the chairman of the trade union serves as vice-chairman, the heads of related functional departments or offices, and representatives of excellent teachers or lecturers, labor models, and People's Teachers and Distinguished Teachers (if any) serve as members.

b) The District Council for Awarding the Titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher (hereinafter referred to as the District Council);

- The District Council awards the titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher to teachers proposed by the Grassroots Councils of kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, supplementary education centers, comprehensive vocational education centers, continuing education centers, and vocational training centers under district management, established by the District People's Committee;

- The composition of the District Council includes: The head of the Department of Education and Training serves as chairman, the chairman of the District Trade Union of Education serves as vice-chairman, the deputy head of the Department of Education and Training, the specialist in charge of personnel and organization, and representatives of excellent teachers or labor models and People's Teachers and Distinguished Teachers (if any) serve as members.

c) The Council for Awarding the Titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher of National Universities and Regional Universities (hereinafter referred to as the University Council);

- The University Council awards the titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher to teachers proposed by the Grassroots Councils of member institutions, established by the Director of the National University or Regional University;

- The composition of the University Council includes: The Director or Deputy Director serving as chairman, the chairman of the trade union serves as vice-chairman, the Deputy Directors of the university, the principals of member institutions, and the heads of the following bureaus: Training, Personnel and Organization, Inspection, and General Affairs; representatives of People's Teachers and Distinguished Teachers and excellent lecturers or labor models serve as members.

d) The Provincial Council for Awarding the Titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher (hereinafter referred to as the Provincial Council);

- The Provincial Council awards the titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher to teachers proposed by the District Councils and Grassroots Councils of schools and affiliated units, established by the Provincial People's Committee.

- The provincial council consists of: the Director of the Department of Education and Training as chairman, the chairman of the education trade union at the provincial or municipal level as vice-chairman, deputy directors, heads of departments responsible for various levels of education and training, personnel organization, inspection, consolidation, representatives of the permanent council for commendation and reward in the education sector, outstanding teachers, lecturers, or model workers at the provincial level, People's Teachers, and Excellent Teachers as members.

d) The Ministry-level Council for awarding the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher (hereinafter referred to as the Ministry-level Council);

- The Ministry-level Council awards the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher to teachers who are nominated by the basic-level councils of schools and units directly under ministries and sectors, established by the Minister's decision;

- The composition of the Ministry-level Council includes: the Minister or Deputy Minister as chairman, the chairman of the sectoral trade union or the head of the Personnel Organization Department (in sectors without a vertical trade union) as vice-chairman, heads of relevant functional agencies, representatives of outstanding teachers, lecturers, or model workers at the provincial level, model workers at the Ministry level, People's Teachers, and Excellent Teachers as members.

e) The State-level Council for awarding the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher;

The State-level Council for awarding the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher is established and operates according to the Prime Minister's decision, responsible for reviewing and submitting to the Prime Minister (through the Central Commendation and Reward Board) for the President to confer the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher.

2. General provisions for Councils awarding the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher at all levels

a) The composition of the Council must include at least one-third of its total number of members being outstanding teachers, lecturers, or model workers at the grassroots level, model workers at the ministry or sector level, provincial level, central mass organizations, People's Teachers, and Excellent Teachers participating in the Council.

b) Meetings of the Council are considered valid when at least two-thirds of the members listed in the decision attend;

c) Teachers nominated by lower-level Councils to higher-level Councils for the awarding of the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher must have at least two-thirds of the votes from the members listed in the decision;

d) Each level of Council awarding the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher has a secretariat or secretarial board assisting it, established by the Council Chairman's decision;

e) The Council awarding the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher uses the seal of the agency or unit under the responsibility of the Council Chairman.

3. Procedures for awarding the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher

a) For basic-level Councils:

- Introduction and trust vote:

+ Hold a meeting with all cadres and teachers in the unit to study regulations guiding the awarding of the titles of People's Teacher and Excellent Teacher;

+ Based on a thorough understanding of the target group, criteria, and selection procedures, organize for cadres and teachers to introduce themselves publicly and nominate those who meet the criteria;

+ All cadres and teachers in the unit exchange achievements and contributions of each person, compare them with the criteria, and cast trust votes. The results of the trust vote are announced publicly within the unit;

+ Teachers nominated by the basic-level Council for selection must achieve at least 60% of the trust votes from cadres and teachers;

+ For colleges and universities, trust votes can be conducted at departments;

- Preliminary review by the basic-level Council:

- Hold a meeting of the basic-level Council to examine and discuss the achievements and contributions of each person, consider the opinions and evaluations of cadres and teachers from step 1, compare with the criteria, and conduct a preliminary vote;

- Announce the preliminary review results and conduct public opinion surveys:

+ The basic-level Council announces the preliminary review results throughout the unit and conducts public opinion surveys among key cadres, the Trade Union Executive Committee, the Youth League Executive Committee. Conduct public opinion surveys among student representatives and parents' representatives for kindergartens and general education institutions, and among student and student representatives for supplementary education centers, comprehensive technical centers, regular education centers, vocational training centers, junior colleges, vocational schools, colleges, and universities;

+ For colleges and universities, public opinion surveys can be conducted at departments and among student and student representatives in departments;

- The basic-level Council casts approval votes:

+ Based on the list that has been preliminarily reviewed and the results of the public opinion survey, the basic-level Council holds a meeting to review and cast approval votes. The approved list is either the preliminarily reviewed list or the list determined by the basic-level Council to include teachers who have met the preliminary vote threshold. The results of the approval vote are announced throughout the unit;

+ Teachers who achieve at least two-thirds of the votes from the total number of members of the basic-level Council (as stipulated in the Council establishment decision) are completed in their files and included in the list for nomination to higher-level Councils;

+ The file of the basic-level Council sent to higher-level Councils is specified as follows:

Schools belonging to preschool education, primary schools, secondary schools, supplementary education centers, vocational training centers under counties (districts, towns), send files to the county-level Council;

Colleges, universities, junior colleges, vocational schools, high schools, regular education centers, comprehensive technical centers, political schools under provinces and cities, send files to the provincial-level Council;

Colleges, universities, junior colleges, vocational schools directly under Ministries, send files to the Council of the Ministry in charge, accompanied by comments on compliance with Party policies and state laws by the provincial or municipal People's Committees where they are located;

Member schools of National Universities and Regional Universities send files to the Council of the National University or Regional University;

Party schools and mass organizations' schools at the central level send files to the Council of the Ministry of Education and Training.

b) For county-level Councils, provincial-level Councils, Ministry-level Councils, Regional University Councils, and National University Councils (hereinafter referred to as Councils):

- Establish a list of files:

+ Based on the list proposed by the lower-level Council, check and establish a list of those who meet the criteria to be submitted to the Council. A person meeting the criteria for submission to the Council is someone who has received at least 60% of the trust votes from cadres and teachers and has received a number of approval votes reaching two-thirds or more of the total number of Council members at each level;

+ Prepare files to send to each member of the Council for review in advance.

- Hold a preliminary review meeting of the Council:

+ Hold a meeting of the Council to compare with the criteria to examine, compare, exchange achievements and merits of each teacher listed;

+ Hold a meeting of the Council to conduct a preliminary approval vote.

- Announce the preliminary review results and organize public opinion surveys

The Council announces the preliminary review results and organizes public opinion surveys as follows:

+ County-level Council: Announces the preliminary review results and solicits opinions through public opinion surveys with grassroots Councils via notification letters;

+ Provincial-level Council: Announces the preliminary review results and solicits opinions through public opinion surveys with county-level education and training departments via notification letters;

+ Ministry-level Council: Announces the preliminary review results and solicits opinions through public opinion surveys with grassroots Councils directly under the Ministry via notification letters;

+ University Council: Announces the preliminary review results and solicits opinions through public opinion surveys with affiliated schools and units via public postings and notification letters;

+ National University Council: Announces the preliminary review results and solicits opinions through public opinion surveys with affiliated schools and units via public postings and notification letters.

- Hold a meeting of the Council to approve nominations:

+ Based on the preliminarily reviewed list, the results of the public opinion survey, the Council meets to consider, deliberate, and cast approval votes. The approved nomination list is either the preliminarily reviewed list or a list determined by the Council to include teachers who have reached a certain number of votes during the preliminary review;

Teachers who have received two-thirds or more of the total number of Council members' votes (as per the establishment decision) are included in the list for submission to the higher-level Council;

+ Complete individual files and Council files for submission to the higher-level Council.

4. Files for nominating the title of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher

a) Individual file for nominating the title of People's Teacher:

- A merit report for nominating the title of People's Teacher with a 3x4 photo attached;

- An innovation and technological improvement report or application of new technology, textbook, scientific research project for nominating the title of People's Teacher;

- A summary of the content of innovations, technological improvements, or applications of new technologies, scientific research projects since the year the title of Distinguished Teacher was conferred.

The format of the individual file for nominating the title of People's Teacher is specified in Section 1 of the Appendix attached to this Circular.

b) Individual file for nominating the title of Distinguished Teacher:

- A merit report for nominating the title of Distinguished Teacher with a 3x4 photo attached;

- An innovation and technological improvement report or application of new technology for nominating the title of Distinguished Teacher in preschool education, primary school, secondary school, high school, regular education centers, comprehensive technical training centers, vocational colleges, and vocational training;

- An innovation and technological improvement report or application of new technology, textbook, scientific research project for nominating the title of Distinguished Teacher in higher education and college.

The format of the individual file for nominating the title of Distinguished Teacher is specified in Section 2 of the Appendix attached to this Circular.

c) File of the lower-level Council for submission to the higher-level Council:

- A proposal for conferring the title of People's Teacher;

- A proposal for conferring the title of Distinguished Teacher;

- A list of nominees for the title of People's Teacher;

- A list of nominees for the title of Distinguished Teacher;

- Minutes of the vote counting for People's Teacher;

- Minutes of the vote counting for Distinguished Teacher;

- Report on the process of nominating the titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher;

- Summary of the individual file for nominating the title of People's Teacher;

- Summary of the individual file for nominating the title of Distinguished Teacher.

The format of the Council file for nominating the titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher is specified in Section 3 of the Appendix attached to this Circular.

5. Time for submitting files:

a) Provincial-level Councils, units, and entities directly under the Ministry must submit files to the Ministry-level Council before June 5th of the year of nomination (if it falls on a holiday, it will be postponed by no more than three days);

b) Party Schools, central-level mass organizations, and University Councils must submit files to the Ministry of Education and Training Council before June 5th of the year of nomination (if it falls on a holiday, it will be postponed by no more than two days);

c) Ministry-level Councils, National University Councils must submit files to the State-level Council for nominating the titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher before July 5th of the year of nomination (if it falls on a holiday, it will be postponed by no more than two days).

IV. IMPLEMENTATION

1. This Circular takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette. All previous regulations contrary to the provisions of this Circular are abolished.

2. Heads of agencies, organizations, and entities proposing the nomination of the titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher are fully responsible for the accuracy of the nomination files and are also responsible for handling complaints and reports regarding the nomination of the titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher according to the law.

3. Individuals conferred the titles of People's Teacher and Distinguished Teacher who violate the law and are sentenced to imprisonment by a court shall have their titles revoked according to current regulations.

During implementation, if there are issues arising or difficulties encountered, agencies, organizations, and entities should report them to the Ministry of Education and Training (Ministry Office) for prompt resolution./.