Efforts made to overcome difficulties by communal education civil servants

Despite facing numerous difficulties, with high determination and in a spirit of both "running and queuing", and working at 200% capacity, many commune-level civil servants in charge of education and training have gradually met the demands of their assigned tasks.

The civil servants in education sector of Cam My Commune discuss professional work. Photo: Hai Yen

The determination “not to give up” and a strong spirit of self-learning are evident among these officials.

Many difficulties

Binh Phuoc Ward is the administrative unit with the highest number of educational establishments in the former Binh Phuoc Province, with 25 schools, 57 independent private preschool facilities, and 747 groups and classes serving nearly 26,000 pupils. Compared to the previous school year, the 2025–2026 school year saw an increase of six private facilities and 24 independent preschool groups/classes, with over 1,000 additional pupils.

Tran A Nhi, an officer of the Ward Division of Culture and Society, said: “Previously, the Dong Xoai City Education and Training Office (former administrative structure) managed schools from preschool to secondary levels, while private facilities were managed at the commune level. Along with that, in carrying out professional tasks, the education office would coordinate with communes and wards, making the work easier and more convenient. However, now all responsibilities are assigned to a single focal point — the commune or ward People’s Committees, which has multiplied the workload many times. Fortunately, all three officials in charge of education in the ward have professional backgrounds in education and training, enabling smooth, well-coordinated work and ensuring all assigned tasks are completed without backlog.”

According to Nguyen Xuan Phuong, Head of the Ward Office of Culture and Society, the sector covers a wide range of tasks, particularly education and training in areas with many schools and pupils. Fortunately, the three officials in this field have many years of experience in the sector, of which two formerly served as specialists at the former Dong Xoai City Education and Training Office, and one was a former specialist in the Office of the Binh Phuoc Provincial Department of Education and Training. With a very large workload, including unprecedented tasks, the officials have always provided accurate and appropriate advice, contributing to the office’s completion of all assigned tasks.

Similarly, Song Ray Commune currently has nine public schools (including two preschools, four primary schools, and three secondary schools). The advantage for the commune is having an education officer from within the education sector, with a solid foundation, understanding of educational establishments, and grasp of professional work in the field, providing a basis for discussions with institutions.

In 2024, Vu Thi Minh Dao began work in the Education and Training Office of the former Vinh Cuu District as an accountant. Following the reorganisation of administrative units, she was assigned to Tan An Commune, responsible for education field while concurrently serving as the accountant for the Commune Office of Culture and Society.

Although she previously worked in the education and training office, her duties had been limited in scope and focused mainly on financial matters, making the transition to her new role at the commune level challenging.

“Tan An Commune has seven public schools (including two preschools, three primary schools, two secondary schools), one private preschool, and 13 independent preschool classes. Over the past month, I have contacted schools directly and disseminated documents related to education. Thanks to my previous work at the education office, I am familiar with school administrators, so coordination has been relatively smooth,” Dao shared.

Nevertheless, difficulties remain. Without a professional background in education, she must devote much time to studying relevant documents, including new circulars and decrees.

“I have to work and learn simultaneously. Whenever I receive a document requiring evaluation or reporting, I read and research the related regulations. If something is unclear, I consult former education office colleagues or leaders. There were new regulations that even previous specialists in the field had not updated yet. Therefore, I mostly had to rely on myself,” Dao explained.

The spirit of “not giving up”

The Office of Culture and Society of Da Kia Commune has 10 officials and civil servants, with one responsible for education and training while also handling document processing.

According to Van Thuc, Head of the Office, “The civil servant responsible for commune’s education and training field graduated in public administration, so he has some understanding of the education sector. However, handling the large volume of work remains difficult. Therefore, the commune People’s Committee seeks assistance from the principals of the two schools in the area.”

According to one commune-level civil servant in charge of education field, the greatest concern at present is that the policies and benefits for those in charge of education are not commensurate with the workload. Compared to school administrators and teachers, who receive preferential and seniority allowances, commune-level education officers have even heavier workloads but are not entitled to such incentives.

To meet work demands, Vu Thi Minh Dao begins her day at 6:00 a.m. and often does not return home until after 7:30 p.m., sometimes even later. Her efforts and challenges are recognised by her superiors, who offer guidance whenever needed. Colleagues in the Office also encourage one another to overcome this difficult period.

“At my workplace, some colleagues have resigned. When one person leaves, the remaining staff’s workload increases, but I will do my best,” Dao affirmed.

Le Thi Hong Nhung, formerly a secondary school principal in the former Tan Phu District, later became a specialist in charge of secondary education at the district Education and Training Office. She has now been assigned to the Office of Culture and Society of Phu Lam Commune, where she is responsible for education.

Nhung has an advantage over many of her commune- or ward-level colleagues, thanks to her extensive experience in the sector, good understanding of professional regulations, and strong connections with school administrators. This allowed her to adapt to her new role quickly. However, meeting job requirements still requires daily self-study and knowledge enhancement.

"I must learn from senior managers, from school administrators and teachers, from circulars and decrees, and from practical work. I still cannot remember the full list of tasks I am responsible for. Now, I address each task as it arises. Some documents take days of research before I can process them. This is the time we need to work together to overcome challenges and perform our duties to the best of our ability," Nhung said.

By: Hai Yen - Vu Thuyen

Translated by: Quynh Nhu - Thu Ha