Government again postpones pay rise for Ukrainian educators

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has again postponed the entry into force of a government resolution on new rates for education and science workers; its implementation was slated from 2021 to 2022.

The relevant decision that amends Cabinet resolution No. 822 of July 10, 2019, and suspends it, which was taken at a special meeting on November 23, is available on the government's portal.

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In addition, the Cabinet deleted the clause that the minimum wage for educators and scientists from January 1, 2023, will be four times the subsistence level for able-bodied persons as of January 1, 2023.

Thus, from 2022, the minimum salary in the sector should be 3.5 times the subsistence level for able-bodied persons as of January 1, 2022.

Background

• The resolution to increase teachers' salaries was approved by the former government under Volodymyr Groysman's premiership. In 2020, the sum was to be 2.5 minimum living wages, 3 minimum living wages in 2021, and 3.5 minimum living wages in 2022, and 4 minimum living wages as of January 2023.
• However, later, Oleksiy Honcharuk's government suspended the decision until the end of 2020, canceling the increase in teachers' salaries due to lack of budget funds for the implementation of the reform.
• The Education Ministry said that UAH 50 billion (US$1.8 billion) was needed to increase the lowest salary in the education sector to the level of the four subsistence minimums in 2021. This money was planned to be allocated from the national budget until 2023 to cover the gradual increase in teachers' salaries. The resolution was supposed to come into force last summer, but there were no funds then.
• Meanwhile, the Cabinet plans to increase government officials' salaries by 2021. Fees are expected to grow for all categories of civil servants from January 1, 2021. The respective draft act has been sent for consideration.