How salary satisfaction and working conditions shape professional attitudes of primary school teachers in Vietnam: a structural equation modeling analysis during the 2024-2026 salary reform.
- 1School of Educational Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China.
- 2Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, Anhui, China.
Abstract
Introduction
Vietnam faces a severe teacher shortage (over 102,000 positions), partly due to low salaries and high work pressure. The 2024-2026 salary reform is intended to address these issues, but its association with teachers' professional attitudes remains underexplored.Methods
This study examines how salary satisfaction and working conditions relate to the professional attitudes of primary school teachers in Vietnam during the salary reform period. A cross-sectional survey of 357 public primary school teachers was conducted. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the associations between salary satisfaction, working conditions, actual income, fairness in salary policy, and professional attitudes.Results
Salary satisfaction had the strongest positive association with professional attitudes (β = 0.631, p < 0.001). Working conditions also showed a positive association (β = 0.346, p =0.022); because working conditions were reverse-coded so that higher scores indicate more positive conditions, this finding indicates that teachers who report more positive working conditions tend to show more positive professional attitudes. Actual income (β = 0.038, p =0.818) and fairness in salary policy (β = -0.139, p =0.301) were not significantly associated with salary satisfaction, and neither was significantly associated with professional attitudes (all p >0.05).Discussion
In conclusion, salary satisfaction and working conditions were the two key correlates of professional attitudes in this sample. Policy implications may include increasing basic salaries, reconsidering the proposed abolition of seniority allowances, and improving working conditions in disadvantaged areas. Given the cross-sectional design, all findings are interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.
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BibTeX
@article{le2026salary,
title = {{How salary satisfaction and working conditions shape professional attitudes of primary school teachers in Vietnam: a structural equation modeling analysis during the 2024-2026 salary reform.}},
author = {Thi Quynh Mai Le and Yi Jiang Li},
journal = {Frontiers in psychology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1862300},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42923012},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - How salary satisfaction and working conditions shape professional attitudes of primary school teachers in Vietnam: a structural equation modeling analysis during the 2024-2026 salary reform.
AU - Thi Quynh Mai Le
AU - Yi Jiang Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Frontiers in psychology
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1862300
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42923012
AB - Introduction Vietnam faces a severe teacher shortage (over 102,000 positions), partly due to low salaries and high work pressure. The 2024-2026 salary reform is intended to address these issues, but its association with teachers' professional attitudes remains underexplored.Methods This study examines how salary satisfaction and working conditions relate to the professional attitudes of primary school teachers in Vietnam during the salary reform period. A cross-sectional survey of 357 public primary school teachers was conducted. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the associations between salary satisfaction, working conditions, actual income, fairness in salary policy, and professional attitudes.Results Salary satisfaction had the strongest positive association with professional attitudes (β = 0.631, p < 0.001). Working conditions also showed a positive association (β = 0.346, p =0.022); because working conditions were reverse-coded so that higher scores indicate more positive conditions, this finding indicates that teachers who report more positive working conditions tend to show more positive professional attitudes. Actual income (β = 0.038, p =0.818) and fairness in salary policy (β = -0.139, p =0.301) were not significantly associated with salary satisfaction, and neither was significantly associated with professional attitudes (all p >0.05).Discussion In conclusion, salary satisfaction and working conditions were the two key correlates of professional attitudes in this sample. Policy implications may include increasing basic salaries, reconsidering the proposed abolition of seniority allowances, and improving working conditions in disadvantaged areas. Given the cross-sectional design, all findings are interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.
SN - 1664-1078
ER -