School consolidation puts more teachers in classrooms

In implementing the Government's policy on consolidating and streamlining the network of public educational institutions and the overall plan of the Dong Nai City People's Committee, communes and wards have consolidated their school systems and restructured management and teaching staff in preparation for the 2026-2027 school year.

Leaders of Phuoc Binh Ward present the decision and flowers to congratulate the Board of Administrators of Chu Van An Primary School.

Most localities have secured consensus among staff and teachers, helping achieve the goal of reducing management units and increasing the number of classroom teachers, thereby addressing teacher shortages and improving the quality of education.

School leaders volunteer to teach again

Tran Ngoc Cong, Chairman of the Phuoc Son Commune People's Committee, said that before the consolidation plan was implemented, the commune had 10 public educational institutions under its management. Based on the city's policy and an assessment of development needs in the new period, the commune reorganized them into seven schools, reducing the number of units by three, or 30%. One notable aspect of the consolidation process was the consensus among management staff. Phuoc Son Kindergarten and Son Ca Kindergarten were merged to form Phuoc Son Kindergarten. Following the consolidation, the school had more management staff than prescribed by regulations.

To facilitate implementation of the plan, three vice principals volunteered to move to teaching positions, including Phan Thi Suong. “I have worked in the sector for 18 years, including 10 years as a vice principal. Moving from a management role to direct classroom teaching is not a “promotion” or a “demotion,” but a change in position to meet new requirements. Regardless of the position, I maintain a stable mindset and strive to fulfill my assigned tasks well, continuing to contribute to the preschool education sector,” said Suong.

Currently, communes and wards across the city have simultaneously implemented school reorganization. In addition to achieving the goal of reducing units in accordance with the policies of the Government and the City People's Committee, localities are also working to build a streamlined education system suited to the actual conditions of each area, use resources effectively, and gradually improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Le Thi Thu, Principal of Phuoc Son Kindergarten, said, “Following the consolidation, the school's management scope is broader, comprising one main campus, one branch campus, and eight satellite school sites. The farthest site is about 18 km from the main campus, with ethnic minority students accounting for about 90% of enrollment. Staff members who previously held management positions and have now moved to teaching will be appropriately assigned to serve as heads of professional departments, enabling them to leverage their experience and capabilities to become a core force of the school.”

At the secondary level, Thong Nhat Secondary School and Vo Truong Toan Secondary School were merged to form Phuoc Son Secondary School. Following the consolidation, the school has one main campus, one branch campus, and one satellite school site, with about 1,500 students and 76 staff members, teachers, and employees.

Dang Quoc Viet, Principal of Phuoc Son Secondary School, said that following the merger, the school will quickly stabilize its organizational structure and appropriately arrange and allocate staff and teachers. At the same time, it will encourage and motivate all teachers and staff to uphold a spirit of solidarity and make the best preparations for the opening ceremony of the new school year.

Ensuring stable teaching and learning

In Phuoc Binh Ward, the number of schools was reduced from 13 to seven following the consolidation, a decrease of six units, or more than 46%.

Nguyen Van Dung, Chairman of the Phuoc Binh Ward People's Committee, said the locality currently has nearly 300 staff members and teachers and more than 5,700 students at all levels, from preschool to secondary school. During the consolidation process, three staff members stepped down from management duties, while other management personnel were transferred and appropriately reassigned to ensure the stability of the schools.

Along with reducing the number of units, the ward eliminated four satellite school sites in Phuoc Vinh and Long Dien neighborhoods. Facilities and equipment at the main campuses and branch campuses continue to be utilized to avoid waste and ensure conditions for teaching and learning.

Before the consolidation, the school network in Phuoc Binh Ward generally met requirements well, with 10 of the 13 public schools managed by the ward meeting Level 1 national standards. Following consolidation, the locality continues to make use of existing conditions while reviewing personnel needs for additional staffing. “Currently, some schools still lack teachers. The Ward People's Committee has directed school boards to develop plans and propose their needs to identify solutions for personnel allocation and supplementation, ensuring that the consolidation does not affect teaching and learning activities,” added Nguyen Van Dung.

According to the overall plan to reorganize the network of preschool, general education, continuing education, and public vocational education institutions in the city, as of July 1, 2025, the city had more than 1,100 institutions subject to reorganization. The plan aims not only to reduce the number of management units but also to restructure the network of schools and classes in line with population size, population distribution, and people's learning needs, while making more effective use of facilities and teaching staff.

The city set a target of reducing the number of public educational institutions by at least 30%, with localities in favorable conditions expected to achieve reductions of about 50%. Under the plan, the citywide number of institutions has been reduced by 453, a reduction of more than 40%.

Along with streamlining management units, localities are restructuring their staff to reduce management positions and increase the number of personnel directly engaged in teaching. They are also proactively reassigning, transferring, and seconding staff, or arranging inter-school teaching when necessary. These measures help ensure the effective use of staff, provide sufficient classroom teachers, and prevent the consolidation process from affecting teaching and learning activities.

By Quang Minh – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho