Survey: Slovaks value teachers, but prefer not to raise salaries

Teachers are bundled alongside others with respected occupations, such as firefighters, doctors and scientists, but parents would prefer to invest a potential financial surplus in educational tools rather than teachers' salaries. This stems from a public survey on the standing of teachers in Slovakia, conducted by the Comenius Institute and non-profit organisation Živica. According to the survey results, 80 percent of the 1,005 respondents hold the occupation of teacher in great esteem. Conversely, occupations with the least amount of respect are MPs, managers and judges. And despite the fact that Slovaks respect teachers, more than one third of parents wouldn't support their child if he or she pursued a career as a teacher. The survey reports that the unappealing nature of teaching lies in the profession's low salaries, challenging requirements of a high level of qualifications, mental resilience, self-motivation and personal enthusiasm.