Education workers take to Toompea to convince Riigikogu of teacher shortage
The Estonian Education Personnel Union organized a meeting in front of the Riigikogu building on Toompea Hill Tuesday morning to draw attention to the low salaries and consequent shortage of teachers.
To encourage the Riigikogu to hike teachers' salaries in order to avoid a strike, a symbolic labor fair for hiring MPs as teachers in schools all over Estonia will be held. "We extend all MPs a personal invite to work in school as the teacher shortage means we have run out of people," the union said in its press statement.
A May survey commissioned by the union revealed that 96 percent of schools in Estonia are having trouble finding teachers, 92 percent of teachers have experienced burnout and 94 percent are prepared to go on strike for better salary. Nearly 60 percent of teachers are considering quitting due to low salary.
The minimum wage of teachers is currently €1,412 a month, while the union is after salaries of at least €2,000.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski
