Teachers` Rights Committee labels certification reforms as "tool of  pressure"

ArmInfo.  The changes to the voluntary teacher certification procedure proposed by the Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports lack measurable and legal justification and risk becoming a tool for pressuring teachers. It contradicts both the anthropocentric philosophy of education and the fundamental principles of labor law, as noted in a statement issued by the Committee for the Protection of Teachers' Rights on its Facebook page  in response to the Armenian government's approval  of another package of reforms to the voluntary teacher certification system. 


The package of proposals, among other things, stipulates that teachers' salaries based on the results of certification will be calculated and accrued not only for hours taught in the core subject, but also for extracurricular activities and project work. The Committee noted that while the proposed changes appear fair, they carry pedagogical and legal risks that could negatively impact teachers and contribute to the violation of their rights.


As the Committee for the Protection of Teachers' Rights noted, due to a lack of standardization for "individual component" hours, the volume and content of project work often depend on the subjective decisions of school administrations or local resources. This could lead to situations where two teachers with identical certification scores receive different pay, violating the principle of "equal pay for equal work." .


Also, while the certification remains technically voluntary, the Committee points out that linking it so closely to income creates de facto pressure. Teachers are forced to choose between undergoing the process to maintain their livelihood or facing a significant loss of supplemental payments.  "From a pedagogical perspective, this poses a serious threat to the quality of education. Linking pay to certification results could force teachers to avoid innovative approaches and experiments in order to work in a 'safe' format, which contradicts the ideology of the new educational standard," the Committee added.  The Committee also highlighted a "legal fog" regarding appeals. If a teacher's rights are violated under this new system, it remains unclear whether the teacher should challenge the certification process itself, the school administration's allocation of hours, or the calculation mechanism for the final remuneration.  According to the statement, this ambiguity significantly weakens the legal standing of educators.