Circular No. 49/TT-GD stipulates the working conditions for teachers at general education schools.

CIRCULAR

OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION NUMBER 49/TT-GD DATE NOVEMBER 29, 1979
REGULATING THE WORKING REGIME OF TEACHERS IN GENERAL EDUCATIONAL SCHOOLS

The Council of Ministers has issued Decision No. 243/CP dated June 28, 1979 on the organization and staffing of general educational schools.

Article 6 of the decision stipulates that "The Ministry of Education and the Government's Organizational Department shall be responsible for regulating the working regime and responsibility system of teachers, staff, and employees within the school to enhance teaching effectiveness and quality."

Now, the Ministry of Education, with the agreement of the Government's Organizational Department (in Circular No. 284/TCCP dated October 25, 1979), promulgates this circular regulating the working regime of teachers in general educational schools as follows:

 

The allowance system for judicial experts or specialized staff assigned to perform judicial expertise aims to compensate for part of the health expenses incurred to ensure the completion of assigned tasks.

Based on the functions and tasks of general educational schools, the working regime for teachers is defined as determining the specific duties and workload of teachers during the education process of students, and the time allocated for each duty and workload, aiming to assist:

- Teachers to clearly understand their specific tasks and plan to implement these tasks proactively and creatively, continuously improving the comprehensive quality of student training.

- Educational management agencies and schools to have grounds for reasonably arranging and utilizing teacher forces, strengthening labor management, and implementing policies for teachers.

- State agencies, social organizations, and parents of students to know and coordinate to create conditions for teachers to fulfill their responsibilities as educators.

II. TASKS AND WORKING REGIME OF TEACHERS

Teachers have the following specific tasks and working regimes:

1. Educational and teaching work, including the following activities:

1. 1. Ideological, moral education, and building student collectives is a constant task for all teachers.

This task is carried out through subject teaching, class counseling, close cooperation with parents, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, and the Ho Chi Minh Pioneer Organization, to help and work with students to conduct collective activities and social activities.

1. 2. Teaching, explaining theories, correcting exercises, guiding practical work, assessing student quality.

1. 3. Labor education for students and participating in production activities with them.

1. 4. Preparing lessons, grading assignments, making teaching aids, preparing experiments, organizing extracurricular activities, tutoring, and enhancing students.

1. 5. Supervising exams and grading: mid-term exams, promotion exams, admission exams for the first grade, graduation exams from general secondary schools.

1. 6. Evaluating and ranking students: recording grades, reviewing student records, evaluating student academic performance at the end of each semester and the entire academic year.

1. 7. Professional activities: attending educational council meetings, subject group meetings, experience-sharing sessions, observing other teachers' classes, summarizing educational and teaching experiences.

2. Training and enhancement work: to continuously improve political, professional, and pedagogical qualifications (political studies, pedagogical skills, foreign languages, postgraduate and advanced studies...), including the following forms:

2. 1. Participating in centralized training courses and in-service training during summer and academic years, according to the unified program and plan of the Ministry of Education.

2. 2. Individuals having plans for self-study and enhancement.

3. Military training: for those within the age range prescribed by the state.

4. Participating in other social works:

4. 1. Social work and organizational activities both inside and outside the school.

4. 2. Participating in local activities in accordance with the school's functions.

4. 3. Participating in supplementary education work.

4. 4. Participating in building the collective life of school staff and teachers.

III. LABOR TIME IN A YEAR FOR TEACHERS:

1. An academic year consists of 52 weeks, excluding 4 weeks for summer vacation (teachers working in highlands get 6 weeks off), 2 weeks for major holidays and conducting annual organizational meetings, leaving 46 weeks distributed among various tasks:

- Educational and teaching work: 35 weeks.

- Training and enhancement work: 9 weeks, including concentrated training during summer and individual self-study and enhancement, which teachers can arrange during suitable times.

- Military training: 2 weeks taken from regular hours and additional time outside regular hours, according to the general regulations of the state.

2. An academic year runs from September 5 of the current year to May 31 of the following year, consisting of 39 weeks (including 35 weeks for educational and teaching work, 2 weeks for major holidays and military training, and 2 weeks for organizational meetings).

The remaining time from June 1 to August 31, teachers take summer vacation, participate in concentrated training, and prepare for the new academic year.

IV. REGULATIONS ON THE WORKING REGIME OF TEACHERS

1. Standard workload in a week for teachers in general educational schools without boarding students.

1. 1. Primary school teachers in general primary schools teach the required number of periods as specified in the training plan (excluding Art and Music subjects) for one class and act as class advisors.

1. 2. Art and Music teachers in general primary schools teach more than 20 periods per week.

1. 3. Secondary school teachers in general primary schools teach more than 20 periods per week for all types of teachers.

1. 4. Teachers in general secondary schools teach more than 18 periods per week for all types of teachers.

2. Standard workload in a week for teachers in general secondary schools, supplementary education centers, and other boarding schools.

2. 1. Primary school teachers in supplementary education centers teach more than 20 periods per week. Primary school teachers in general primary schools teach the required number of periods for one class (excluding Art and Music subjects) and act as class advisors. Art and Music teachers in general primary schools teach more than 18 periods per week.

2. 2. Secondary school teachers teach more than 18 periods per week for all types of teachers.

2. Teachers at secondary schools must teach 16 periods per week for all types of teachers.

3. Regulations on mobilizing teachers to teach additional hours beyond the standard stipulated

3.1. The duty of each teacher is to teach the number of periods according to the standard stipulated for a week and for the entire academic year.

In cases where there is a shortage of teachers, the educational management authority (Education Board, Department, Office, Principal) has the right to mobilize teachers to teach additional hours from 1/4 to 1/2 of the standard hours (for secondary and high school levels) and not more than one class (for primary level).

3.2. This mobilization applies to all male and female teachers.

- Among the additional teaching hours, 2 to 4 periods per week are allocated for teaching supplementary cultural classes.

- The remaining hours are used for teaching in general education schools for teacher training classes to meet the standard requirements.

- These additional teaching hours are compensated according to the overtime teaching regulations.

4. Several provisions regarding the conversion of other types of working hours into standard hours.

4.1. Each teacher has the obligation to directly guide students in labor activities and participate in production work with students (or direct students to participate in social activities), once a week, which counts as 2 standard periods.

- If during the labor period, the teacher must prepare lesson plans to guide students on theoretical labor, then the time spent guiding the theory and participating in labor with students will be counted as 3 standard periods.

- If additional sessions are mobilized, then each session of direct guidance counts as 2 standard periods (for secondary and high school levels) and 1 standard period (for primary level).

- Teachers who do not participate in guiding students in labor production must teach the required number of standard periods in class each week.

Example: Teacher A has a standard teaching schedule of 18 periods per week. During the week, the comrade guides and participates in labor with students for one session, which counts as 2 standard periods.

Therefore, that week, the comrade still needs to teach 16 cultural periods in class.

Conversely, if the comrade does not guide and participate in labor with students, they must teach the full 18 standard periods in class.

If a teacher is assigned to prepare lesson plans to guide students on theoretical labor (such as woodworking theory) for one period, followed by guiding students in practical work for the remainder of the session, then the comrade is credited with 3 standard periods for that session.

4.2. Each month, language arts teachers at general secondary schools must grade a maximum of 90 papers for each type, either 15-minute tests or those lasting one period or longer.

If the number of graded papers exceeds the specified limit, every 45 papers of 15-minute tests count as 3 standard periods, and every 45 papers of one period or longer count as 7 standard periods.

For teachers of other subjects at various levels, each month must grade no more than 135 papers for each type. If this limit is exceeded, every 45 papers of 15-minute tests count as 2 standard periods, and every 45 papers of one period or longer count as 4 standard periods.

Such student assessment activities must be carried out according to the school's plan.

Example 2: Comrade B is a language arts teacher at the high school level, assigned to teach three language arts classes with a total of 13 periods per week (excluding兼任职务的工作量). The number of papers graded for each type in a month is 145, exceeding the limit by 55 papers and converted into standard periods accordingly.

55 papers x 3 periods

- For 15-minute tests: 4 periods

45 papers

55 papers x 7 periods

- For 15-minute tests: 4 periods

- For tests lasting one period or longer: 8.5 periods

Thus, in that month, the comrade completed:

(13 x 4) + (4 + 8.5) = 64.5 standard periods

Example 3: Comrade C is a natural science teacher at the middle school level, teaching 17 periods per week (excluding班主任工作). The number of papers graded for each type in a month is 175, exceeding the limit by 40 papers and converted into standard periods accordingly:

40 papers x 2 periods

- For 15-minute tests: 4 periods

- For 15-minute tests: 1.8 periods

40 papers x 4 periods

- For tests lasting one period or longer: 8.5 periods

- For tests lasting one period or longer: 3.5 periods

(17 x 4) + (1.8 + 3.5) = 73.3 standard periods

4.3. Guiding students in practical exercises for subjects with experimental components as prescribed in the Ministry of Education's curriculum, every 2 periods of practical guidance count as 1 standard period. Actual report hours for extracurricular activities organized by the school count as equivalent standard periods.

4.4. Probationary teachers, female teachers with children under 12 months old, and female physical education teachers pregnant for six months or more are entitled to a reduction of 2 periods per week (for secondary and high school levels) and one session (for primary level), except when doctors recommend earlier rest.

At the primary level, another teacher can be arranged to substitute or, if there is a shortage of teachers, the teacher may teach normally, with the reduced session compensated for overtime teaching or not mobilized to participate in labor sessions with students during the week.

4.5. Teachers mobilized to participate in professional inspection work in education or subject-specific vocational training (called by the Education Board after approval by the Department or Office, if at the primary or secondary level, or by the Department or Office, if at the high school level) have their time away from school counted as standard periods equivalent to teaching at school, meaning the average standard periods during the mobilization period are added to the actual teaching periods at school.

Example 4: In October, Teacher D was called by the Education Office to conduct initial inspections at high schools for ten days (excluding Sundays) and taught 45 periods at school. Thus, in October, the teacher completed:

18 periods/week (10 days x 6 days/week) + 45 periods = 75 periods

Example 5: After approval by the Education Office, the Education Board called Teacher K to provide subject-specific vocational training for teachers in a cluster for twelve days (excluding Sundays) and the comrade continued teaching for 60 periods afterward. Thus, in the month, the comrade completed:

20 periods/week (12 days x 6 days/week) + 60 periods = 100 periods

V. REGULATIONS ON THE WORKLOAD OF PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS

To strengthen professional management within schools, in addition to their assigned administrative tasks, all Principals and Assistant Principals must also directly engage in classroom teaching as follows:

- The Principal teaches 2 periods per week.

- Assistant Principals must teach 4 periods per week or 2 sessions per week.

For secondary general education schools directly participating in training high school teachers through the work-study method, the deputy principal responsible for this activity shall have the same number of teaching periods as the principal.

The assignment of teaching duties for principals and deputy principals should be carried out in the direction of:

a) Substituting for teachers who are sick or on maternity leave.

b) Or they may teach the number of periods specified for one class (or several classes) within their subject area. If due to such assignments, they must teach more than the standard number of periods specified above, compensation shall be paid for the excess periods.

Example 6: Principal X, a mathematics teacher at the high school level, can use two of his periods to substitute for a sick or maternity leave teacher, or teach trigonometry for one class, or teach all five mathematics periods for one class and receive compensation for the three additional periods.

Deputy Principal Y, a primary school teacher, mainly fulfills his duties by substituting for other teachers.

VI. REGIME OF WORK FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE YOUTH UNION AND THE HEAD OF THE SCHOOL GROUP

Each general education school should arrange for one teacher with capability in Youth Union work and School Group activities to be responsible for the Secretary of the Youth Union (for secondary general education schools) or the Head of the School Group (for primary general education schools). These teachers shall have the following teaching regime:

- For schools with less than 18 classes, teach half of the standard number of periods each week.

- For schools with less than 28 classes, teach one-third of the standard number of periods each week.

- For schools with 28 classes or more, teach two periods per week. The implementation of the teaching regime for the Secretary of the Youth Union and the Head of the School Group shall follow the guidance provided in Section V above.

VII. REGIME OF WORK FOR TEACHERS WITH ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN YOUTH UNION WORK AND SPECIALIZED DEPARTMENT TASKS IN SCHOOLS

In general education schools, the following tasks (referred to as additional responsibilities) shall be undertaken by teachers. The time required to perform these tasks, whether more or less, depends on the workload of each task in each school and is converted into the corresponding standard number of periods.

Specifically:

- The Secretary of the Party Organization of the school, the Secretary of the Trade Union of the school (if not concurrently serving as principal or deputy principal), shall be credited with 3 periods per week if the school has fewer than 28 classes, and 4 periods per week if the school has 28 classes or more.

- Each class has one class teacher. At the secondary level, class teachers are credited with 4 periods per week (excluding moral education class periods).

- The head of the specialized department (or block head of the specialized department) is credited with 3 periods per week.

The establishment of specialized departments shall be implemented according to the Charter of General Education Schools.

- The head of the vocational department of the district or province (appointed by the Education Board after approval by the Department or Bureau for primary and secondary levels, or appointed by the Department or Bureau for high school level) shall be credited with 3 periods per week and shall only receive benefits during the actual performance of this duty.

- The Secretary of the Educational Council of the school shall be credited with 2 periods per week.

- For schools that do not have the required number of deputy principals as stipulated (in Decision No. 243/CP), one teacher assisting the principal in managing labor production shall be credited with 3 periods per week.

- Teachers responsible for school-wide cultural and sports activities, school gardens, workshops, and laboratories (if these activities do not have dedicated staff) shall be credited with 2 to 3 periods per week depending on the workload.

3. To ensure teaching quality and job performance, each teacher responsible for additional duties shall not exceed two concurrent additional responsibilities. If assigned a third responsibility, they shall only receive benefits for the two highest-paid positions.

Primary school teachers responsible for additional duties shall be credited with 1 standard working day for every 2 standard periods.

4. Implementation of the work regime for teachers responsible for additional duties.

In principle, the Council of Ministers stipulates (in Decision No. 243/CP) that general education schools may use staffing to teach the full number of periods planned for one class (excluding social activities and extracurricular activities) and manage class affairs.

Therefore, class teachers (at the secondary and high school levels) are reduced weekly teaching hours as specified above; while other additional responsibilities are resolved by paying in cash, i.e., adding the number of periods received for the additional duty to the number of periods already taught and compensating according to the overtime teaching regime.

However, in cases where there is a shortage of teachers, the principal may still mobilize teachers, including class teachers, to teach overtime to ensure students' learning.

VIII. MEETING REGIME IN GENERAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS

1. To rationalize the meeting regime and enhance the quality of meetings, the principal may only conduct the following meetings during administrative hours:

- Meeting of the Educational Council, once a month, lasting 4 hours. - Meeting of the specialized department (or block specialized department), twice a month, each lasting 4 hours.

- Meeting of the specialized group, twice a month, each lasting 2 hours.

- The principal's meeting with class teachers, once a month, lasting from 3 to 4 hours.

- The principal's meeting with specialized committees in the school, once a month, lasting from 2 to 3 hours.

During each week, the principal shall only convene subject teachers for one meeting, and teachers responsible for additional duties shall not exceed two meetings.

2. All union meetings for teachers shall be held outside administrative hours.

3. Schools need to strengthen public announcement methods to reduce unnecessary meetings and allocate more time for teachers to focus on professional tasks.

IX. ISSUES REGARDING THE MANAGEMENT OF TEACHERS' WORKING TIME

1. Based on the authorized staffing quota, the principal of a general education school has the responsibility to reasonably arrange and utilize the school's teaching staff, creating conditions for all female and male teachers to continuously promote initiatives, improve teaching methods, enhance teaching quality, and fulfill their assigned tasks effectively.

2. Teacher labor management should focus on the following aspects:

2.1. Management of teaching time and quality on the classroom of the teacher.

2.2. Management of the content and results of preparation for professional tasks related to classroom teaching.

2.3. Management of teachers' professional activities.

2.4. Management of teachers' study and training.

3. A teacher is considered to have completed the working time in a week or month when they have taught the standard number of hours (classroom teaching hours, additional duty hours, and other tasks converted into standard hours).

If the number of teaching hours exceeds the standard hours, additional remuneration for overtime teaching shall be paid for the excess hours.

For teachers who do not participate in military training (including those within and outside the age range for military training), the principal shall mobilize them to perform other duties or teach additional hours equivalent to the time stipulated for such work.

X. IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

This Circular takes effect from the date of issuance.

This Circular replaces Circulars No. 46-TT/GD dated October 24, 1962, Circular No. 47-TT/GD dated October 25, 1962, and Circular No. 32-TT/GD dated November 11, 1976 issued by the Ministry of Education.

The Heads of educational management agencies at all levels (Departments, Bureaus, districts) and principals of secondary schools and concentrated cultural education centers have the responsibility to strictly implement and organize the implementation of this Circular.

(*) At the secondary and high school levels, the standard class hour duration plus the break time between two consecutive classes equals one hour.