Lubyova: Positive Changes for Teachers, New Elements for Dual Education
Topolcany, September 3 (TASR) – While opening the new school year at a primary school and secondary woodwork school in Topolcany (Nitra region) on Monday, Education, Science, Research and Sport Minister Martina Lubyova (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) promised teachers higher salaries and better working conditions and that the teaching profession will be made more attractive.
“I’m very glad that I can symbolically open the new school year at the primary school in Topolcany. This school has achieved very good results in inclusive education and in caring for talented children. I’d like to welcome especially the first-graders, whose number at this school is 72 and over 50,000 all over Slovakia. It’s a big moment in their lives, and I’d like to wish them a great deal of joy in learning and their parents much joy from their children’s progress,” said Lubyova in her speech.
According to Lubyova, many changes concerning remuneration and teaching methods lie ahead of teachers and students in the new school year. In addition to increasing the salaries of current and starting teachers, the Education Ministry is also working on a law on professional pedagogical staff, which should make the teaching profession more attractive and improve conditions for teachers and headteachers. “For example, headteachers won’t be obliged to teach; they’ll be able to devote themselves fully to managing the school,” said Lubyova.
The minister also visited a secondary woodwork school in Topolcany that was among the first secondary schools in Slovakia to introduce dual education. “Dual education in particular is one of the fields that will undergo a lot of changes. We are, for example, removing cuts in financial resources for schools that introduce dual education classes. This means that schools will be financially favoured if they open dual classes. One huge new element is direct payments for employers. This means that small and medium-sized companies educating students within the dual education system can receive as much as €1,000 per pupil per year,” said Lubyova.
