Teachers are concerned because overtime pay is not satisfactory
In Nghe An, Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh, the payment of overtime teaching fees for teachers has many problems, from the payment level to the situation of late payment.
Teachers complain that overtime fees are lower than regulations
Recently, Lao Dong Newspaper has continuously received feedback from teachers in Nghe An, Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh related to the implementation of the overtime teaching fee regime. Although applying the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training, the implementation process in each locality has arisen different problems.
In Nghe An, many teachers reflect that overtime pay is paid lower than the regulated level. After Lao Dong Newspaper reflected, the provincial functional agencies intervened, requesting to review and guide the implementation of the regime and resolve the rights of teachers.
In Thanh Hoa, teachers of Ngoc Son Primary School (Ngoc Son ward) reflected that the payment level for overtime teaching in the 2025-2026 school year does not ensure the rights according to regulations. Although the school has organized many meetings to discuss payment plans, the payment level is still causing teachers to be concerned. Some teachers calculated that the actual amount received is less than half of the level enjoyed if applying the formula specified in Circular No. 21/2025/TT-BGDĐT. In addition, in schools in the old Muong Lat district, the total number of overtime teaching periods that have not been paid in the period from January 2024 to April 2025 reached 46,357 periods.
At the beginning of February 2026, Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee requested functional agencies and authorities of relevant communes to urgently review and resolve payments to teachers, proactively use the allocated budget to implement according to regulations. However, as of October 1, 2026, teachers and representatives of schools in some communes of the old Muong Lat district said that the outstanding overtime teaching fees have not been paid.
In Ha Tinh, the main obstacle reflected by teachers is the situation of slow payment of overtime teaching fees, affecting the rights of workers.
Removing financial difficulties, ensuring teachers' rights
From the reality in Nghe An, financial difficulties are one of the reasons why schools have not fully paid for overtime teaching for teachers.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Hai Dong - Principal of Hong Phong Secondary School (Duc Chau commune, Nghe An) - confirmed that the school's payment of overtime teaching fees lower than the regulated level is true. According to Mr. Dong, the reason stems from financial difficulties. However, obstacles are being gradually removed when schools are supplemented with budgets. Hong Phong Secondary School has committed to fully pay overtime teaching fees to teachers according to regulations.
Notably, on September 23, 2026, the Nghe An Department of Education and Training issued Official Dispatch No. 3634, guiding the supplementation of the implementation of the salary regime for overtime teaching for teachers of public educational institutions.
According to the guidance, schools balance funding sources, determine the adjustment coefficient of the payment level (K) based on financial capacity and total payment needs of the whole school. In case funding is not sufficient, the school determines the K coefficient to adjust the payment level, uniformly applied to qualified teachers. The determination of the coefficient must be based on accounting data and professional records that have been checked, compared and certified.
Schools must publicize the cost balancing plan, total payment needs, possible allocated funds and payment coefficients.
To fundamentally solve the situation of funding shortage, schools need to carefully study legal documents, review the number of teaching periods exceeding norms, accurately determine funding needs and proactively prepare estimates right from the beginning of the school year. On that basis, schools balance the assigned financial resources, develop payment plans in accordance with regulations. In case of funding shortage, it is necessary to promptly report and propose to competent authorities for consideration and supplementation, to avoid prolonged overdue debts.
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