Three-Quarters of Russian Federal Subjects have Teacher Shortages, ‘Important Stories’ Reports

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Aug. 1 – While the number of pupils in Russian schools has been on the rise since 2010, the number of teachers has been stagnant or even falling with 61 of the federal subjects hiring fewer teachers for the 2023-2024 school year than they have lost from retirements or resignations, the independent Important Stories portal says.

            In three regions –Kalmykia, Tambov and Magadan oblasts – the number of teachers leaving the classroom exceeded the number newly hired this year, the portal’s investigation finds, figures far worse than Moscow has acknowledged (istories.media/stories/2024/09/02/ya-ne-vernus-v-shkolu-dazhe-za-million-v-sekundu/).

            And in ever more of the federal subjects, the gap between the number leaving and the number hired is growing. In 2017, 30 regions experienced this problem; but since 2021, the figure has “not gone below 59,” an indication that this is anything but a local problem and that solving it will require Russian-wide changes.

            One consequence of the growing teacher shortages is that those who remain in the profession are having to work longer hours. In 2023-2024, the average teacher gave 27 lectures a week, a number 50 percent higher than the Russian government’s own rules, Important Stories continues.

            Low pay explains much of this, the portal says; and what teachers are actually paid is far less than Rosstat, the Russian government’s statistical agency says. It claims that teachers are paid on average 58,109 rubles a month (580 US dollars). In fact, Important Stories says, the actual figure offered to attract new teachers is only 28,200 rubles (280 US dollars).

            Only about a third of the graduates of teacher training colleges now go into teaching, and as a result, the average age of teachers is rapidly rising, with those over 60 now accounting for about one in every six instructors. But low salaries are not the only reason for the number of teachers leaving the profession in recent years.

            A major cause, Important Stories says, are the additional propaganda tasks the government has assigned to teachers and the increasingly bureaucratic arrangements the education ministry has imposed on teachers. Increasing salaries will help but not that much unless changes in these things are made as well.