EEPU representatives meeting with the Prime Minister Andrus Ansip

On December 14 the representatives of EEPU (Sven Rondik, president and Ene Külanurm, member of the EEPU Board and chairman of the regional organisation in Jõgeva) met with the Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip.

It was our proposal to discuss the following issues: raising the teachers’ minimum pay level, the corresponding Government Regulation and reducing the teachers’ excessively high work load. The Prime Minister responded that he would continue combining the minimum salary levels with the accredited grades of teachers. However, he did not find it possible to allocate additional funds in the national budget for 2012 to solve the teachers’ salary problems. The Prime Minister said that reorganizing the school system as well as the inner system of education financing would provide the necessary resources. Our position is that it is not possible to solve these issues without allocating additional funds in the national budget.

The Prime Minister was positive about our proposal to reduce teachers’ work load. EEPU suggested to set 18 hours per week as a regular work load for teachers starting from September 1st 2012 and it should be clear soon whether or not and how this will be realized. The Ministry of Education and Research has not yet responded to EEPU recommendations. Ms Ene Külanurm raised a number of issues that need solutions to enhance the level of vocational education, to raise the pay level of vocational teachers and other staff, as well as to reduce their work load. We also pointed out the necessity to set national minimum pay levels for pre-school teachers. And we informed the Prime Minister Andrus Ansip of our plan to organize a strike to support the teachers’ salary fight.

The Prime Minister suggested that we could have further meetings to discuss issues concerning education and to find better solutions together.

Despite of the fact that no specific decisions were made during the meeting, it was a good opportunity to deliver our proposals and opinions to the Prime Minister and it will have an impact to the Government’s future decisions concerning teachers’ salaries and work load.

Sven Rondik

EEPU President