Russian teacher’s retirement exposes deep flaws in education system
Roman Tikhonov, an educator at Educational Center No. 4 in Russia, will retire in six months. His departure leaves uncertainty over who will take his place. Like many educators in the country, he struggles with low pay and heavy workloads to make ends meet.
Tikhonov earns a base monthly salary of 16,157 rubles and 52 kopecks. This falls below Russia's minimum wage, but his pay is topped up to meet the legal threshold. Additional payments include 539 rubles for maintaining grade books and 4,000 rubles for 'quality performance'.
Teaching in Russia often means long hours for little reward. Many educators, like Tikhonov, teach five to seven 'class hours' daily. Some even hold multiple positions just to survive. The minimum wage rules also exclude professionals with higher education, leaving teachers in a particularly difficult position. With Tikhonov's retirement approaching, the school now faces a pressing question: who will step in to teach his students?
The gap left by Tikhonov highlights the broader challenges in Russia's education system. Low wages and high workloads make it difficult to attract and retain teachers. Without a clear successor, his students may soon feel the impact of his absence.
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