SK8 Calls on Education Minister to Include Regions in Debate on Salary Increases

Bratislava, January 14 (TASR) - The Self-governing Regions Association (SK8) calls on Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD) to immediately include representatives of the self-governing regions in the discussion on increasing the salaries of education employees, finding it extremely disturbing that the minister has left the regions out of the negotiations, SK8 told TASR on Tuesday, pointing to the threat to the financial stability of the regions. "We want to draw attention to the problem that the proposed salary increases could be shifted onto the shoulders of local government, which in practice means additional financial pressure on the budgets of self-governing regions, which are already struggling with the consequences of consolidation and underfunding of education," stressed the association, adding that only through communication and cooperation, can it be ensured that the proposed measures will bring about real improvements in education. The education minister again held talks with representatives of the Slovak Education and Science Employees Trade Union at the end of last week. They agreed for the time being on a 7-percent increase in funding for all education employees as of the beginning of September 2025. An agreement with the education trade unions should be concluded by the end of January this year. am/mcs