Minister fields questions on non-public kindergarten education

Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha (Photo: VNA)

Regarding recent negative phenomena in the preschool system, Nha admitted that this is a urgent matter causing public concerns. 

Currently, there are 337,000 teachers working at 15,000 kindergartens nationwide. Most of the teachers love their jobs and children, but some cases of violence against children still occurred.

The minister stressed that “unqualified teachers must be fired and any kindergarten where such scandals happen must be closed”.

Regular training and rational polices for the teachers should be put at the first line of the solutions, he said, noticing that the strenuous work with low financial reward, only 2.4 million VND per month for new graduates, has been attributed to the teachers’ intense pressure.

The Ministry of Education and Training has worked with the Ministry of Home Affairs and relevant ministries to standardise and improve remuneration for pre-school teachers, he stressed.

Regarding questions raised by deputy Nguyen Thanh Hai from the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang on measures to ensure safety at kindergartens, especially in industrial and processing zones, Nha said that his ministry will recommend the Government to promulgate policies, and make amendments to pre-school education to ensure good care for children at private kindergartens.

Relevant ministries, organisations like the Vietnam Women’s Union and the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and localities should enhance supervision at private schools to build a friendly environment in which children do not face violence and abuse, he said, adding that kindergarten facilities and the number of quality teachers should be imrpoved.

On this issue, Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan stressed “the responsibility is of the whole socio-political system, not only the Ministry of Education and Training”./.

VNA