To increase the quality of teaching in schools, highly qualified teachers will receive a salary increase

As part of the comprehensive education reform and with the aim of increasing the quality of teaching in schools, the Ministry of Education is launching the next stage of changes in general education.

The goal of the reform is to establish an educational environment in schools that will provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the challenges of the 21st century. To achieve this goal, it is essential to have highly qualified, motivated, strongly capable teachers equipped with modern knowledge who will receive a decent salary.

Within the framework of the reform, starting from September 2019, all teachers with the status of Senior, Lead, or Mentor Teacher will receive a salary increase of 150 GEL or more. The salary increase will continue annually, and by 2022, the average salary of educators will reach 1,500 GEL and more.

The salary increase will also apply to resource center directors, school principals, and administrative staff.

Practical teachers who confirm their minimum competency and raise their status in the summer of 2019 will also receive increased remuneration upon the arrival of the new academic year, starting in September 2019.

Practical teachers who have partially fulfilled the requirements for obtaining the status of a senior teacher will be given the opportunity to raise their status by acquiring additional credit points by the end of 2019. Only after this will they receive increased and growing remuneration.

In addition, should the teacher wish to do so, and based on the educators' needs, the state will take care of upgrading the qualifications of practical-tier teachers through relevant retraining programs and, subsequently, provide them with a repeated opportunity to confirm their minimum competency and raise their status in the autumn of 2019.

Honored teachers of retirement age who do not wish to confirm their minimum competency and raise their status are granted the privilege, based on their voluntary choice, to receive a one-time monetary award from the state in 2019 amounting to two years' total salary; additionally, they will retain their health insurance package for life (maintaining the conditions of the health insurance voucher for public school teachers).

Practical teachers of retirement age will have the opportunity to express their desire to receive the award offered by the state in several instances during 2019:

• If the teacher does not wish to confirm minimum competency, they must declare this by the end of May 2019;
• If the teacher fails to meet the minimum competency, they must inform us of their desire to receive the award by the end of 2019;
• If the teacher does not wish to or fails to confirm minimum competency upon a repeated attempt, or if the teacher has confirmed minimum competency but does not wish to raise their status - they must declare their desire to receive the award by the end of 2019.
• The issuance of the state award will begin no later than September 2019.

All practical teachers who fail to confirm minimum competency and raise their status within any of the opportunities by the end of 2019 will be able to continue their professional activities based on the school's needs - on the basis of a temporary contract while retaining their salary.

In connection with the innovations listed above, relevant legislative and budgetary changes will be implemented.

Registration of teachers for competency confirmation will begin on May 13, 2019, and end on May 24 at 18:00. Practical teachers and aspiring teachers can receive information about registration and register on the following websites: www.naec.ge and online.naec.ge.

For additional information about the reform, please visit the link - Frequently Asked Questions