HÀ NỘI — Downsizing efforts will be implemented without exception in all sectors, including education and health, said deputy minister of home affairs Nguyễn Duy Thăng.

He spoke yesterday during a press conference held amidst the ongoing controversy concerning the decision by the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk to fire at least 200 teachers in Krông Pắk District who were improperly recruited beyond the allocated quota.

The ministry confirmed the media’s reports on the mass firing of teachers and said that the province’s decision was in line with downsizing efforts. However, it has asked the provincial People’s Committee to facilitate support for the district in finding the optimal solutions for the laid off teachers.

According to the provincial authorities, the education sector’s employment quota for Krông Pắc District was set to be 3,571, as decided in 2016. By November last year, 3,393 seats were already filled, leaving 178 vacancies.

After inspections, Krông Pắc found a total of 578 teachers on short-term labour contracts to be ‘redundant’ – 370 of whom were eligible to take an examination to compete for one of the 178 teaching posts, while the remaining 208 would have to be laid off as they were teaching subjects for which the district no longer had any quota slots to fill.

Regarding the proposal that the quota be extended so that all teachers facing dismissal could apply for the employment examination, Trương Hải Long, head of the civil servants department, said that the ultimate decision would be made by the provincial People’s Committee.

The ministry also asked Đắk Lắk province to look into corruption allegations, wherein a number of the fired teachers claimed they had to pay large bribes – as much as thousands of dollars – to the headmasters to ‘secure a teaching post’ at the schools and a potential slot on the regular payroll in the near future, all in an attempt to land a stable job.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has reiterated that State agencies and localities must make plans to terminate contracts with redundant civil servants and public employees, in line with the Government’s commitment to streamlining the workforce on State payroll, frequently deemed bloated and inefficient.

The Politburo has also issued directions on downsizing, aiming for an annual target of 2.5 per cent, totalling a 10 per cent decrease in number of those on State payroll by 2021. In the education sector, the local government and its education department can adjust the number of teaching posts within their assigned quota they have been given. However, in case the number of students, classes, or schools increase, which would require more teachers, any extension beyond the allocated quota would need to be strictly managed. — VNS