BRATISLAVA, November 7, (WEBNOVINY) — President Ivan Gasparovic has signed into law the bill on pedagogic and expert staff that parliament approved at the end of October. The legislation will increase salaries of teachers and expert staff in the education sector by 5.7 percent on average, which represents up to EUR 60 per month, as of January 2012. The Education Ministry has earmarked EUR 41 million for this purpose. Teachers had to give up several advantages, for example rehabilitation stays, at the expense of higher wages.
The norm won support of 138 legislators. Only the opposition SNS deputy caucus voted against it, including former Education Minister Jan Mikolaj. Independent MP, having represented SNS in the past, Rudolf Pucik did not vote in favor of the legislation, either. Salaries in pay categories 6 – 12 will grow 2 percent on average next year. Tariff tables will be adjusted to reach a 12-percent difference between pay category 10-11 and 11-12. The norm will introduce special regulations for private schools that will not have to remunerate their staff based on tariff tables valid for the state administration in the future.
The parliament lifted the seven-year validity period for extra remuneration for collected credits based on continued education of teachers. Education Minister Eugen Jurzyca (SDKU-DS) thus leaves open space for the next Education Minister to decide whether he/she will preserve the period or abolish the whole system with this interim period. The revision eliminates discrimination against expert staff regarding the years of professional experience. Directors of schools will evaluate the service of teachers once in three years.
SITA