Ukraine to Raise Teachers’ Salaries by 20% From September 2026

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Ukraine is preparing a 20% increase in the salaries of teachers and other pedagogical workers from September 1, 2026.
• The increase is the second stage of the government’s 2026 pay-rise program, following a 30% increase in teachers’ official salaries from January 1.
• The Ministry of Education and Science says the second 20% increase is being preserved as part of the government’s plans for educators’ pay.
• The government is also working on a new model for calculating teachers’ salaries, which the Ministry of Education plans to introduce from 2027.
• The reform is intended to increase the guaranteed share of teachers’ income and reduce the possibility that local decisions on allowances could offset the effect of higher official salaries.

Ukraine is preparing to raise the salaries of teachers and other pedagogical workers by 20% from September 1, 2026, according to the Ministry of Education and Science. The increase will be the second stage of the government’s 2026 pay program, following a 30% increase in teachers’ official salaries at the beginning of the year.

Teachers to Receive Another 20% Increase

The Ukrainian government is maintaining plans to increase the official salaries of pedagogical and academic-pedagogical workers by another 20% from September 1.

The Ministry of Education and Science has described the measure as the second stage of the 2026 salary increase program.

The planned increase applies to the official salary component rather than representing a one-time bonus.

First Increase Took Effect in January

The September increase follows a 30% rise in the official salaries of teachers at Ukrainian general secondary schools that took effect on January 1, 2026.

The Ministry of Education confirmed at the beginning of the year that the higher salaries were financed through the state budget and transferred to local communities through the educational subsidy.

Taken together, the two stages represent a substantial increase in teachers’ official pay during 2026.

However, the two percentages should not simply be added together as a mathematical 50% increase to the January salary. The second 20% is applied at the second stage of the pay reform.

Why the September Increase Matters

Teachers’ salaries in Ukraine consist of an official salary as well as various allowances and additional payments.

The Ministry of Education says the new approach is intended to increase the share of guaranteed payments in teachers’ total income.

This is important because some allowances are financed or determined at the local level.

The government wants the increase in official salaries to translate into a real increase in teachers’ income rather than being offset by reductions in other components of pay.

Government Preparing a New Salary Model

The September increase is also connected with a broader reform of how educators are paid.

The Ministry of Education and Science is developing a new model for calculating salaries that is planned for introduction from 2027.

The ministry says the future system should make guaranteed payments a larger part of teachers’ income.

The government is also discussing the system with Ukraine’s education trade union.

Reform Intended to Make Pay More Predictable

One of the main problems with the existing system is the large number of different allowances and supplements that can influence a teacher’s final monthly income.

Under the proposed approach, the government wants to make a larger portion of teachers’ earnings predictable and directly linked to their official salary.

The Ministry of Education has specifically said it wants to prevent local authorities from reducing the effect of the national salary increase by changing the percentage of allowances financed from local budgets.

Education System Facing a Major Transition

The salary changes come as Ukraine prepares for another major school year under wartime conditions.

Schools continue to deal with security requirements, damaged infrastructure, teacher shortages and the need to maintain education despite Russian attacks.

At the same time, Ukraine is preparing changes to the structure of secondary education, including the transition toward a new model of specialized upper secondary schools.

The government therefore sees teacher pay as one element of a broader effort to maintain the education system.

Higher Salaries Intended to Support Teachers

Increasing teacher salaries is also intended to make the profession more financially attractive.

Ukraine has faced persistent concerns about teacher shortages and the ageing of its education workforce.

Higher guaranteed salaries could help improve retention and make teaching a more competitive career for younger specialists.

For teachers already working in the system, the increase also comes as household costs remain high and many educators continue to work under difficult wartime conditions.

The 2026 Increase Was Planned in Two Stages

The two-stage approach was incorporated into the government’s 2026 education and budget planning.

The first stage increased official salaries by 30% from January.

The second stage, scheduled for September, adds another 20% to official salaries. The Ministry of Education continues to confirm that the second stage is being maintained.

This means that teachers should see another increase at the beginning of the new school year rather than waiting until 2027 for further changes.

More Changes Could Follow in 2027

The planned new salary model could represent a more fundamental change than the percentage increases introduced in 2026.

The Ministry of Education says it is working on a system that would increase the guaranteed component of teachers’ pay and make the effect of salary increases more transparent.

The details of the new model are still being developed.

The government is expected to continue consultations with education professionals and their representatives before the new system is introduced.

Teachers Remain Central to Ukraine’s Education System

The salary reform comes at a time when Ukrainian teachers are responsible for maintaining education under exceptionally difficult circumstances.

Some schools continue to operate with security restrictions, while others have adapted to damaged infrastructure or disrupted learning conditions.

Teachers have also had to adapt to changes in the curriculum, online and blended learning, and the psychological consequences of the war for students.

A Significant Pay Change in 2026

The September increase represents one of the largest coordinated changes to teachers’ pay in recent years.

Combined with the January increase, it signals a significant shift in the government’s approach to education spending.

The longer-term question will be whether the increases are sufficient to address teacher shortages and whether the planned 2027 salary model can provide a more stable and transparent system of remuneration.

Ukraine’s planned 20% salary increase for teachers from September 2026 is part of a broader effort to strengthen educators’ pay and make a larger share of their income guaranteed. After the 30% increase introduced in January, the second stage will provide another boost while the government prepares a more comprehensive salary model for educators from 2027.