Trade Union of workers of education and science of Ukraine believes that the proposed increase in teaching load threatens to dismiss more than 70 thousand teachers.
“The Committee on education, science and innovation of the Verkhovna Rada decided to amend the law on the state budget of Ukraine to the laws ”On education“, ”On full general secondary education“, ”On vocational pre-university education“, ”On vocational education”. The norm of a teacher’s teaching load has been increased from 18 to 22 hours per week, which threatens to reduce by 22.2% the rates of teachers and, as a consequence, – dismissal of more than 70 thousand teachers”, – the trade union said in a statement.
It is noted that the changes are also proposed, which will lead to a reduction in seniority bonuses for those teaching staff with a teaching experience of 10 to 20 years, as well as deprive the right to seniority bonuses for teaching staff with a record of 5 to 6 years.
In addition, it is proposed to cancel the increase in wage rates for the pedagogical titles of “teacher-methodist”, “senior teacher”, “senior tutor”, “tutor-methodist” and other pedagogical titles assigned to pedagogical workers who ensure the educational process at a high professional level.
Among other things, the trade union draws attention to the fact that the Committee considers it necessary to introduce a 36-hour working time for teachers, circle leaders, as well as for all other teaching staff of the institution of general secondary education.
“The above decision of the Committee on Education and Science of the Verkhovna Rada does not comply with Article 22 of the Constitution of Ukraine, according to which the adoption of new laws or amendments to existing laws is not allowed to narrow the content and scope of existing rights and freedoms”, – says the statement.
In connection with the above, the Trade Union of Workers of Education and Science of Ukraine calls on the head of the Education Committee, people’s deputies to withdraw from the Committee on Budget the above proposals, which concern the narrowing of labor rights of teaching staff.
“We express a categorical protest to the proposals proposed in the conclusion of the Committee on amendments to the draft law ”On the state budget of Ukraine for 2026“ for the second reading and call on the people’s deputies of Ukraine, the head of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, heads and members of the Committees on budget, finance, tax and customs policy in the adoption of the law in the second reading to prevent the adoption of these illegal changes that will lead to the violation of labor rights of teaching staff of educational institutions,” – said in a statement.
As reported, the educational ombudsman Nadezhda Leshchik considers it necessary to start a dialog between teachers and the authorities in Ukraine on whether to increase the pedagogical load of teachers on the condition of an increase in salary.
