The government has approved a program aimed at developing the professional skills of teachers who lack high education qualifications. This program, which will be in effect until May 2nd, aims to address the requirement that teachers must have a high education qualification, which was accepted in 2011. Despite this requirement, implementation has been extended until 2018, and then further extended until August 20, 2023. This means that teachers without a high education qualification have had 12 years to improve their qualifications. Currently, there are still over 1300 teachers in the system who do not meet the high education qualification requirement, but are continuing to teach and meeting the requirements of the law until August 2023. These teachers have been participating in professional development and have completed the necessary stage. This year, 894 teachers without a high education qualification have applied for professional development, and 354 of them have been enrolled, allowing them to continue their studies and receive increased salaries. However, due to the failure of several hundred teachers to meet the requirements of the law, their professional activities in the educational system have been abolished.

Nevertheless, these teachers still have the opportunity to continue their activities through the use of the semi-annual term determined by the daily schedule, obtaining a high education qualification, or participating in government-organized professional development and successfully completing the required stage. According to the Minister, this program provides an additional opportunity to improve professional education, enhance intellectual development, and fill teaching vacancies. “Our analyses show that more than 150 people are willing to obtain a high education qualification and about 500 teachers are willing to participate in professional development activities,” he said.