Nevertheless, the per capita income of Luxembourg teachers does not exceed 86,3%, due to the high standard of living in their country. Where are our teachers and professors?
According to the new report of the Eurydice network on teachers' salaries in Europe, during the 2014-15 school year, it appears that Cypriot teachers are among the most favored, having an attractive salary package compared to many of their other colleagues. Taking into account the basic salaries of the first appointees in the EU of "28", in euros, it seems that our teachers are in 13th place. Specifically, they are paid € 23.885 per year, while in other twelve countries the salaries are higher.
However, if one calculates the per capita income of Cypriot teachers (125,7%), then they are ranked in the fourth best position. The data for our teachers are even more favorable in relation to the higher salaries, ie the school principals. In this case, with € 58.107 per year, they jump to the first place and even with a difference, as their salary as a percentage of GDP amounts to 305,8%.
It is clarified, of course, that the teachers who manage to reach this level are the minority, since the positions of school principals are limited.
Moreover, as the network report typically states, in the majority of Member States, the minimum annual salary of primary and lower secondary teachers is lower than GDP per capita. The only exceptions are Germany, Spain, Cyprus and Portugal.
More specifically, the lowest percentage (minimum wage of teachers / per capita income) is recorded in Lithuania (32%) and Romania (41%). In contrast, Germany (129%) and Portugal (139%) are the countries with the highest minimum wages compared to GDP per capita.
In terms of maximum wages, the vast majority of countries are higher than per capita GDP at all levels of education.
Annual earnings of public teachers
In Cyprus the minimum and maximum salary of teachers is at the same level, regardless of educational level. E.g. a newly appointed kindergarten teacher and a newly appointed teacher are paid the same, as are the primary school principal and the high school principal.
The Eurydice network report states that the average number of years a teacher needs to reach the maximum salary is 22 years. However, this finding does not fully correspond to reality, as the maximum salaries relate to the rank of director and of course, regardless of years of service, not everyone is promoted to director, as positions are limited.
It is also noted that in the relevant table of the Eurydice network for the salaries of our teachers, it seems that despite the fact that minimum and maximum salaries are the same at all levels, there are still fluctuations in the averages. This has to do with the number of teachers per salary scale, in each grade. For example, it is no coincidence that the average salary of teachers is slightly higher than that of teachers, since in Secondary Education there is an additional promotion position (of assistant principals A ').
Also, the average salary of teachers is higher than that of kindergarten teachers, since in primary schools there are more managerial positions.
Elsewhere increases, elsewhere "freeze"
According to the Eurydice report, in many European countries, in 2014-15 teachers' salaries increased compared to 2013-14. The main reason was the need to adjust them to the cost of living. This is directly related to the wage cuts made in many Member States in recent years due to the economic crisis.
In particular, in about a quarter of countries, there has been an increase in the salaries of civil servants, including teachers. In the Czech Republic, for example, since November 2014, teachers' salaries have increased by 3,5%. In Luxembourg the increase is 2,2%. In Romania, since March 2015, basic salaries have increased by 5% and a new increase of 5% has been implemented since September of this year. In Malta, a 2,5% increase was agreed for the years 2011-2016.
Moreover, in the last school year 2014-15, ten countries or regions such as Belgium, Ireland, Poland, Finland and the United Kingdom did not have significant fluctuations (1% or less) in wages compared to 2013- 14.
Only in one country a decrease was recorded, greater than 1% and that is Serbia. In this case, as part of the implementation of a new savings plan, the salaries of all civil servants were reduced by 10% in November 2014. In fact, in some schools, teachers' salaries were further reduced in February 2015, due to their refusal to end their strike in protest of the agreement.
Finally, in five EU countries, Greece, Italy, Cyprus, Lithuania, Slovenia, the salaries of teachers and professors remain "frozen".
Source: Liberal