Education in Mykolaiv region: schools lack young teachers, and in villages teachers teach several subjects

Staffing challenges in Mykolaiv region: gender inequality, staff shortage and ageing staff. Photo: archive «NikVesti»

There is a significant gender inequality among teachers in schools in Mykolaiv region. Women predominate in most subjects, with the exception of physical education and «Defence of Ukraine».

This is evidenced by the data provided in the Mykolaiv Oblast Development Strategy until 2027, according to NikVesti.

In general, 21 out of 52 territorial communities in Mykolaiv region are fully staffed with teachers.

In rural areas, the staffing shortage is most acute: due to the lack of specialists, teachers are often forced to teach several subjects at once, often more than three.

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In addition, there is a tendency for the teaching staff to age. In almost all subjects, the average age of teachers is gradually increasing. However, a significant number of teachers in the region have the highest qualification category.

Teachers' salaries in 2024

As you know, members of the city council are planning to appeal to the Verkhovna Rada and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to increase the salaries of teachers in Mykolaiv. They note that since 1 April, the minimum wage in Ukraine has increased from 7100 hryvnias to 8000 hryvnias. However, teachers' salaries are currently lower than the minimum wage.

The system of remuneration for educators includes a basic rate and certain allowances. The salaries of teachers are influenced by the following factors:

1. Allowances for length of service (length of service: 20% for experienced teachers and 10% for young teachers);
2. Prestige of work (from 5% to 30%);
3. Classroom management, checking student work;
4. Work with students with special educational needs, classroom management, etc.

Depending on the availability of certain allowances and surcharges and their amount, teachers will receive different salaries.

The Minister of Education and Science, Oksen Lisovyi, initially announced that teachers' salaries would be raised in January and April 2024. This was supposed to be due to an increase in the education subvention, most of which is earmarked for teacher salaries. However, teachers did not receive the announced salary increase.

Later, however, he said that Ukrainian educators should not expect a salary increase until the end of the full-scale war. He explained this by the difficult situation in the budget.

At the same time, there is a shortage of teachers of various subjects in Mykolaiv region. Educational institutions are most in need of teachers of chemistry, physics and biology.

And due to the outflow of schoolchildren, Mykolaiv decided to combine classes in educational institutions that will work remotely. As reported, some teachers will have to be laid off.

At the same time, the average salary of officials has increased by 32% in four months and exceeded 50,000 hryvnias.