A Missed Opportunity? The Transformation of the Teacher Salary System in Kazakhstan Amidst Rising Wages
Abstract
This article is dedicated to analyzing the effectiveness of the reforms in the teacher salary payment system in Kazakhstan and its impact on the quality of pedagogical activity, as well as the possibility of attracting educators from universities and professionals from other sectors to schools by increasing salaries. The results are based on regional statistical data, reviews of salary dynamics, and interviews with school administrators and teachers. The article includes an analysis of previous studies of salary payment systems in Central Asian countries, characteristics of the current system in Kazakhstan, as well as the experience of transforming the Russian and Estonian teacher salary systems.
Kazakhstan, while maintaining centralized control and a "rate" system, has achieved a significant increase in the average salary of school teachers by introducing a qualifications system and a number of allowances for taught subjects and working conditions. Moreover, the increased prestige of the teaching profession, along with the rise in salaries, has facilitated the attraction of young specialists to pedagogical activities and reduced the outflow of qualified teachers from the profession. However, according to surveyed teachers, the reform has not been a significant incentive to improve teaching quality, being perceived only as a new salary increase system. This has led to the fact that, despite the undoubted success of the Government of Kazakhstan in preparing the basis for a favorable long-term perspective for supporting pedagogical workers, the measures taken at this stage lack deep understanding among teachers and do not ensure an improvement in learning outcomes.
The article aims to continue the discussion on the effectiveness of the conducted reforms, their impact on the real income increase for teachers, strengthening the status of pedagogical workers, and their motivation for professional growth.
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References
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