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Nearly 1mil teachers with no Tet bonus
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VietNamNet Bridge – “While businesses can give hundreds of thousands to millions of VND in Tet bonuses to their labourers, nearly 1mil teachers in nursery and general schools won’t receive Tet bonuses,” wrote Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Thien Nhan in a letter.

Nhan has sent a letter to leaders of provincial and municipal localities, asking for help for the nearly 1mil teachers who aren’t scheduled to receive Tet bonuses.

He wrote: “Vietnam’s economy is now facing big difficulties and challenges which have been affecting the lives of people, including teachers.

“The Lunar New Year 2009 is coming. While businesses can give from hundreds of thousands to millions of VND in Tet bonuses to their labourers, nearly 1mil teachers in nursery and general schools won’t receive Tet bonuses.

“Therefore, the Ministry of Education and Training would like to kindly request that chairmen of People’s Councils, chairmen of People’s Committees, chairmen of the Fatherland Front call for donations and funds from local budgets, in order to assist teachers, especially teachers in mountainous areas, on islands and in remote areas, so they can enjoy Tet, so their lives are less deprived on Tet days, so that they can have offerings to worship the ancestors, so that their children can have new clothes and banh chung on Tet days.”

Prior to that, in order to help students ease difficulties, the Ministry of Education and Training called on teachers, students and people to donate money, clothes, textbooks to help poor students go to school.

After four months of donation, over VND17bil, over 1mil textbooks and many study aids were raised. As such, some 1mil students in difficult areas have new clothes which can help them overcome the coldness of the winter and enjoy Tet.

Just one day after the letter by the Deputy Prime Minister was published on the mass media, nearly VND2bil had been raised.

The Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group PetroVietnam has donated VND500mil to teachers in the 10 provinces of Dong Thap, Tra Vinh, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau, An Giang, Ninh Thuan, Tay Ninh and Phu Tho.

The Investment Consultancy and Trade Promotion Company has given VND500mil to teachers of 10 provinces: Dien Bien, Son La, Lai Chau, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Hoa Binh.

Viettel, the military telecom corporation, has announced the donation of VND600mil for 12 provinces in the Central Highlands and central region, namely Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Lam Dong, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Quang Nam, Phu Yen, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Bac Giang.

Le Van Kiem, a veteran and Labour Hero in the renovation period, has given VND300mil to teachers in six provinces: Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Binh Thuan, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Tri and Quang Binh.

The Ministry of Education and Training said that they will remit the money to localities and instruct directors of education and training departments to allocate the money to teachers before Tet and report to the ministry when the task is fulfilled.

(Source: Dan tri)