Prague, Aug 28 (CTK) – Czech teachers’ salaries will increase by 3 percent as of this November, Education Minister Katerina Valachova (Social Democrats, CSSD) told journalists Friday.
Valachova said she was discussing a change in the base salary system with the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry.
Trade unions have expressed disagreement with the proposed 3-percent rise, insisting on 5 percent.
The system of the salaries paid to teachers and non-teaching education staff is to be changed as of November 1, Valachova said.
On Tuesday, 118,000 first-graders are to start attending schools. In all, the elementary schools will have almost 883,000 pupils and secondary schools 101,800 students.
Valachova has been in office since mid-June when her predecessor Marcel Chladek (CSSD) was dismissed.
The Education Ministry will spend half a billion crowns on sports of children and youths, Valachova said.
The money will be sent to the physical education clubs, she added.
The compulsory school attendance should be prolonged from nine to ten years, Valachova said, adding that the school education should start at the age of five.
The last year in kindergartens should be compulsory, Valachova said.
The proposal is included in the amendment to the school law that will be passed to the government by mid-September.
Under the legislation, the age limit to be entitled for entry to kindergartens is to fall to four years and in 2018 to three years.
The state is to be newly obliged to provide places in kindergartens for all children of the age in question.
Valachova also wants to introduce free lunches in the last year of the kindergartens, for which she must get 700 million crowns a year.
($1 = 24.022 crowns)
