New assessment scheme for teachers
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Thursday, October 22
The Ministry of Education and Science launched a new scheme of assessment for schools teachers, according to which teachers will receive bonus salaries based on their competence.
Teachers will have the possibility to earn bonus points from their colleagues and headmasters. With the earned points they will be divided into four different categories, namely Practitioner, Senior, Leader, and Mentor.
At the present, 821 teachers are involved in the process. Opinions of the project are proving highly divisive.
Teacher Keti Dolidze said that there are many errors in the system.
“One of the main problems is the lack of time. To launch and conduct a such project successfully needs more time,” stated Dolidze.
Another teacher Maia Ekaladze sees a problem within the groups evaluating them.
“In the estimation groups are teachers who are not estimated on their own, so I don't know how they evaluate other people,” stated Ekaladze.
Experts of the field estimate the changes negatively. According to them, the project is based on incorrect principles. They claim that this is just another way for the Education Ministry to refuse teachers an increase in their salaries.
“Roughly 75% of teachers will be branded as belonging to the lowest level of the project and will receive nothing. Besides, they are given so many tasks to complete that it may actually hinder the studying process,” reads the statement.
The Deputy Minister of Education, Lia Gigauri, said that the implementation of the project already means in itself the encasement of educational standards in schools.
“All the tasks that are given to teachers are focused on students and the studying process. All those things were part of the working process for them before launching the project, but from now on they will receive bonus payments for their work,” stated Gigauri.
At the moment, the basic monthly wage for teachers is 350 GEL. With the new system, reaching the level of 'Senior' teacher will result in a 160 GEL bonus, the level of 'Leader' will award 250 GEL, and if one reaches level of 'Mentor', the amount will be 300 GEL.
