Teachers are considered to be one of the poorest and simultaneously most exploited categories of state employees in Kyrgyzstan. After the collapse of Soviet Union, when the position of teacher was respected and on demand, the school system as well as other educational systems entered a deep crisis. The sovereign Kyrgyz Republic experienced a dramatic outflow of teachers from the educational system to the labor market, especially to the trade sector. Many unclaimed teachers acquired practical “MBAs” in the bazaars, trading with goods imported from China, Turkey and India, and further distributed them within the CIS by a shuttle trading system. Other teachers migrated to Russia, hoping for a better social security system.

Presently, most teachers at schools are close to retirement age, but still needed due to the lack of supply of new specialists. Every spring, school supervisors visit the Central Pedagogical University named after Arabaev (KSPU) in Bishkek with the purpose of attracting young specialists to work in the countryside. However their efforts are in vain. The monthly starting salary of 10USD does not create enthusiasm to work there. According to the National Statistics Committee, the salary fairly covers a third of the minimum consumer basket, which stands at nearly 35USD. According to the Ministry of Education, by May 1, 2004, there was a lack of nearly 3,400 teachers in village areas.

“The situation is critical. English, Math and Russian language teachers are on the highest demand. Schools need 643 English, 426 Math and 311 Russian language teachers; in all other subjects, more than 100 teachers are required to provide full secondary education in villages”, the press service of Ministry of Education informed the Analyst.

“The problem is not that we do not provide jobs, but that graduates are unlikely to work there, because there are no economic motivating mechanisms. Accordingly, those teachers who find themselves in rural areas are poorly prepared, and therefore prepare poor students. As a result, the quality of education suffers”, head of the registrar’s office of KSPU Tolegen Abdrahmanov told the Analyst.

Teachers have now expressed their negative attitude to their forced involvement in lobbying for candidates. During previous elections and referenda conducted in Kyrgyzstan in the last five years, many teachers were involved in counting ballots, registering voters, and reporting results. International and human rights organizations reported many violations were registered during the election process. Thus, teachers were exploited for lobbying someone’s interests. Now, teachers want to stop this process.

It is vital for the government to take action as soon as possible in order to conduct the parliamentary elections planned for February 2005 without logistical problems. However, authorities questioned whether this condition would be satisfied. On November 24, the Head of the Central Election Commission Sulaiman Imanbaev commented the proposed initiative as follows: “Teachers don’t take part in the election campaign, but remain organizers of the elections themselves. In many settlements there are no other appropriate buildings but schools”.

Another vital issue addressed to the Ministry is the payroll issue. Salaries are frequently paid in kind in rural areas, with lottery tickets and forceful subscriptions to unpopular newspapers. The “Dargemm” teacher’s movement stated that in some rural areas, compulsory payroll delay is accepted as a systematic practice.

Teachers also complained of overloaded classes. While according to educational standards, the number of students in classes should not exceed 20, in many of schools this figure passes 30. On the other hand, the usual standard for teacher is 72 hours of teaching per month, for which they are paid around $20. However, Kyrgyz teachers often work 216 hours and the salary is not enough for surviving. Some rural teachers leave schools to work on farms, where they are paid nearly $60 for cultivating agricultural products. The status of teacher has turned out to be one of the least respected in Kyrgyzstan. “Dargemm” plans to discuss its problems and adopt a final resolution at the Congress of teachers to be held in mid-December.