Experts have assessed the risks of teacher salary reform with salaries rising to 70%

Possible changes in the remuneration system for teachers, which involve an increase in the share of fixed salaries to 70% of total income, may be an important step towards improving the financial stability of teachers, since now the solid part of the salary, according to various sources, is only 30-40%, and the rest depends on the decisions of the administration of the educational institution. Igor Rastorguev, a leading analyst at AMarkets, told Izvestia on February 2.

"The main risk is associated with the transition period. If the salary increase is due to a simple redistribution of existing payments, without a real increase in the salary fund, teachers will gain nothing. Moreover, experienced teachers, who today receive significant allowances for the categories and achievements of students, may lose money," the expert emphasized.

According to him, regions where the average salary barely reaches 45-50 thousand rubles will be particularly vulnerable. In addition, experienced teachers who receive significant bonuses for students' qualifications and results run the risk of having their incentive cut.

School codes: Tens of thousands of teachers may be out of work

Due to the demographic pit of the 90s, there will be much fewer students in elementary schools in the coming years.

The economist also noted that changes in the salary structure may affect future teacher pensions, as they are calculated based on average earnings. The growth of the basic part can increase payments in the future, but for those who retire in the coming years, the reform is likely to bring no tangible benefits. At the same time, he recalled that the shortage of staff in schools is estimated at almost 96,000 specialists by 2030, and the burden on existing teachers in some regions reaches 1.8 percent, so the new system should not worsen the situation.

"A stable salary, which makes up the majority of income, makes working as a teacher more understandable and predictable for young people. But the payout structure alone is not enough. The median salary of teachers in the first half of 2025 was 54.4 thousand rubles. For many university graduates, this is insufficient motivation, especially when tutoring brings two to three times more with less bureaucratic workload. The long—term perspective depends on whether the real incomes of teachers will grow," concluded Rastorguev.

A similar position was expressed by Valeria Alekseeva, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, founder of the Valeria Alekseeva Chinese Language School. She stressed that an increase in salaries can strengthen teachers' confidence in income, but without an increase in total funding for the education system, a significant increase in salaries should not be expected.

"It can be assumed that reducing the importance of the bonus part in the teacher's salary structure will reduce dependence on relationships within the team and reduce the amount of additional work, since motivation for it will become lower," the expert said.

Starting from January 1, 5 million Russians will have their salaries increased due to an increase in the minimum wage

At a meeting with the head of the FNPR, Putin appreciated the role of trade unions in protecting the interests of workers.

On the same day, the Russian government, together with employers and trade unions, recommended setting the salary of education workers at 70% of the total salary. For specialists already working in the education system, it is proposed to revise the salary structure taking into account these parameters.

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