Headmaster of Ngoi Sao Xanh Preschool Nguyen Phuong Ngan in Hanoi said teachers at the private school who with many years of experience can earn VND11-12 million a month, including a fixed salary of VND10 million and allowances.

From the second and subsequent years, teachers can get a fixed salary of VND8 million a month. They also get allowances, including lunch allowance (VND30,000 per day x 22 days).

If teachers run a class with 17 children (higher than the average number of 15), they can receive VND100,000 more per child. As such, these teachers can pocket VND9 million a month. In addition, they can get a bonus of VND300,000-500,000 more a year. 

Teachers who are new graduates earn VND7-7.5 million a month.

In general, the income of preschool teachers mostly comes from salaries and allowances, according to Ngan. As the teachers cannot run extra classes, they don’t have additional income. With the modest salaries and allowances, it is difficult to maintain their lives in large cities.

Therefore, teachers at Ngan’s school have to take more than one job, such as selling goods online, and providing food to apartment residents.

Truong Thi Ngoc Bich, headmaster of 10/10 Preschool in Hanoi, said the highest income level is VND17-18 million at his school, paid to a teacher with 32 years’ experience. The lowest income, VND7 million, is given to a new teacher.

According to Vu Ngoc Du, headmaster of Anh Sao Preschool in Hanoi, new graduates receive VND6 million a month (basic wage x coefficient: VND2,34 million x 2.14, plus occupation-based allowances).

Du said for every five years of working, teachers receive 5 percent more seniority allowance (one percent each year).

At the school, the highest income earner can earn VND15 million (VND2.34 million x 4.98, plus 35 percent of occupation-based allowances).

Preschool teachers now receive the lowest salaries and have the lowest incomes compared with the teachers at other education levels. But they have high work intensity, and have to work extra hours (up to 10 hours a day).

At Tan Lap Preschool in Bac Quang, Ha Giang, the highest income of VND19 million belongs to a teacher with 18 years of working, while the lowest income of VND11.5 million belongs to a new graduate. 

According to Ngo Thi Mai, headmaster of the school, the salaries of preschool teachers are not as high as people think, if noting that they have to travel a long distance of up to 80 kilometers and have to work in difficult conditions.

Hoang Thanh