20% Salary Increase for Teachers: Ministry of Education Urged to Accelerate Necessary Changes
From September 1, 2026, the next stage of increasing the salaries of pedagogical workers is to come into effect in Ukraine. Previously, the Cabinet of Ministers announced a 20% increase in teachers' official salaries. However, less than two months remain until the planned date, and the necessary decision to implement this increase has not yet been adopted.
Currently, the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine has appealed to the Minister of Education and Science, Oksen Lisovyi, calling for the acceleration of the preparation of the relevant regulatory act that should ensure the increase of official salaries for pedagogical and scientific-pedagogical workers.
The union emphasizes that the current level of teachers' pay does not meet legislative requirements.
At present, the lowest official salary of a pedagogical worker is 8,404 UAH, which is even less than the established minimum wage of 8,647 UAH.
According to the organization, a young teacher who has just graduated from a higher education institution and started working in a school or kindergarten receives about 9,570 UAH. Meanwhile, teachers and educators of the highest qualification category have an official salary of 11,755.8 UAH.
Teachers' salaries remain among the lowest
The union notes that the level of pay for education workers remains the lowest among the main sectors of the economy.
According to their data, in the first quarter of 2024, the average salary in education was 19,394 UAH per month, while the average salary across the country was 30,356 UAH. Thus, educators' earnings amounted to only 62% of the average economic indicator.
The budget, according to the union, has resources for the increase
The union reminded that from January 2026, the official salaries of pedagogical workers were already increased, and the corresponding expenditures were provided for in the state and local budgets.
Additionally, teachers receive an allowance of 2,600 UAH for working in unfavorable conditions. For education workers in frontline communities and border regions, this allowance amounts to 5,200 UAH.
The union also pointed out that 29,6 billion UAH remain undistributed in the state budget. According to the organization's representatives, this indicates the financial capacity to implement the next stage of salary increases.
The union notes that even after the changes made this year, the pay levels of pedagogical workers still do not meet the standards defined by the Law of Ukraine "On Education."
Representatives of the organization reported that since March, they have been conducting working consultations with the Ministry of Education and Science regarding the mechanism for raising official salaries.
In this regard, the union called on the Ministry of Education and Science to accelerate the preparation of the draft decision on increasing the official salaries and wage rates of pedagogical and scientific-pedagogical workers of all types of educational institutions, so that the planned salary increase from September 1, 2026, is implemented on time.
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