The Education and Science Workers' Union, along with other teacher organizations, voiced their discontent with the Government Manifesto on Thursday. Before the general election, which was held on March 5, the teachers were on strike for five weeks. Now they are planning a protest for Tuesday April 19.
In the Manifesto, the government has pledged to introduce significant internal changes in the education system. Also yearly salary hikes are planned, with a total of €2 billion more being allocated for the sector in the 2016-20 election term. The goal is to reach the EU average in spending per GDP at the end of this period. "The way we held talks with the minister before the Manifesto was released made us believe that the long awaited changes will be in the document. Some of our requirements were included, however, they are not financially covered," commented Alena Petáková, the head of the Elementary Schools' Association.
Teachers are unhappy especially with the planned rise of their incomes. Based on the Government Manifesto, salaries at virtually all types of schools should be increased by 6 percent on average as of September 2016. At the same time a scheme has been introduced to hike teachers' salaries by 6 percent on an annual basis as of January, 2018. "Pay rise is guaranteed only in September 2016. Another three steps of pay rise are only under the condition of changes in the system," said Pavel Ondek the head of the Education and Science Workers. The unions declare that the promised pay rise will not make the job of a teacher attractive, and the quality of the school system will decline. Moreover, the Government Manifesto also does not include any plans about non-education workers in the system.
"We respect the right of the unions and other representatives of the education sector to express their opinion. At the moment we pay full attention to the tasks that stem from the Government Manifesto. We invite everyone willing to help to change the school system," reads the statement of the Education ministry to the discontent voiced by teachers' organisations. As a part of their protest, the teachers will march in Bratislava from the Government office to the Parliament next Tuesday. They do not plan a new strike yet, as it is an extreme solution for them.
