Average Czech teacher salaries to reach 45,000 crowns monthly next year, says Education Minister

Prague, Sept 21 (CTK) - The salaries of Czech teachers will be raised by 9 percent next year, Education Minister Robert Plaga said after his talks with Finance Minister Alena Schillerová (both for ANO) today.

The salary raise means that state budget expenditures would increase by 11 billion crowns in 2021.

This year, the Education Ministry budget is about 214 billion crowns. Next year, this budget will be about 238 billions.

Schillerová said 15 billion crowns should be saved on running costs next year in this budget.

Plaga and Schillerová had previously agreed on the 9-percent increase in salaries of teachers last year.

They said this means that the government would fulfill its promise that the average gross monthly wage of teachers would be 45,000 crowns next year. In the first quarter of this year, the average wage of teachers was nearly 39,000 crowns

The average monthly salary across all positions in the Czech Republic was slightly over 34,000 crowns.

Universities will get 1.3 billion crowns more for non-investment spending such as teaching aids, further education for teachers, and transport to outdoor trips for students.

Plaga said this was important also in connection with the distance teaching that may be introduced because of the coronavirus epidemic.

On Sunday, Schillerová and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) presented the first state budget draft for next year to President Miloš Zeman.

This draft projects a deficit of 116 billion crowns, but Schillerová admitted that it does not include some government investment plans. She adds that it is likely to soar before the vote on the budget takes place due to possible measures that would have to be taken to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.