Minister says most teachers will have higher salaries

The government on Thursday adopted a regulation on job titles and pay scales in public services which, Science, Education and Sports Minister Zeljko Jovanovic said, introduced a new model of job evaluation in primary and secondary schools and would result in a pay rise for most teachers.

Jovanovic said that the law denying public sector workers the right to a pay rise based on years of service rescinded the 4%, 8% and 10% bonuses for the entire public sector because they constituted double evaluation of years of service since employees already enjoy the right to an annual pay rise of 0.5% based on years of service.

This (double evaluation) has benefited employees with the longest years of service and the government believes that the main criterion should be expertise and performance, said Jovanovic.

The minister announced a 3.5% increase in pay scales for all employees in primary and secondary shools directly involved in teaching, a 6% increase for those who have been promoted to the position of mentors, and an 8% pay rise for those who have been promoted to advisors.

He said that the regulation adopted today would result in a pay rise for 62% of teachers amounting to 100-400 kuna, while the salaries of 23% of teachers would remain unchanged and those of 15% of teachers would be reduced.

Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic said this was more a symbolic measure than a financial benefit, but that the government could not do more in the current situation.

He said that the evaluation Minister Jovanovic spoke about would be possible only with a transparent and regulated system.

(Hina)



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