Planning policy
Early childhood education and care
Local authorities, which establish and oversee most early childhood education and care institutions (ECEIs), set human resources planning policy in the ECEC sector. They assess the need for teaching staff (educators, educator assistants, instructors and others) based on licensed capacity, group size and staffing standards established by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine (MESU).
When forming the network of ECEIs, local authorities take into account demographic trends, migration processes (including internally displaced persons) and the needs of local communities, as required by the Law of Ukraine on Early Childhood Education and Care (Articles 14, 18). The role of human resources planning is growing due to the expansion of inclusive education, the development of alternative forms of ECEC (family-based care, short-term attendance) and a persistent shortage of qualified staff in rural areas.
General secondary education
The basis for the human resources planning in the general secondary education(GSE) is the provisions of the Laws of Ukraine on Complete General Secondary Education and on Education, as well as on the state education order and regional forecasts of the need for teaching staff. The MESU carries out overall strategic planning, while local self-government bodies manage the operational administration of schools and staff.
The number of teaching positions is determined according to the school’s staffing schedule, educational programmes and the actual number of pupils. Considering the challenges of the martial law period (displacement, online learning, temporary school closures), human resources planning includes flexible approaches: part-time employment, job-sharing, remote work, etc.
Special attention the state gives to young specialists, the deployment of teachers to rural areas, and staffing for shortage subjects (STEM, foreign languages, etc.), offering benefits, one-time assistance, and other incentives.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
The MESU, regional military administrations and the direct founders of educational institutions coordinate human resources planning policy within the system of VET and PPHE. Such planning takes into account:
- state and regional orders for working staff and junior specialists,
- labour market analysis (including data from the State Employment Centre and platforms such as ‘Education and Career’),
- staffing capacity of PPHE institutions and colleges.
The calculation of the need for teaching staff (lecturers, vocational training masters, dormitory educators) considers the volume of teaching load, specialty profile, forms of study (full-time, dual, distance learning), and the need to adapt programmes to the conditions of martial law.
Entry to the profession
Early childhood education and care
Hiring of teaching staff in ECEIs complies with an order from the head of the institution following an interview or competitive selection process. The candidate must have the education and professional qualifications specified by legislation and professional standards (if available), and meet the qualification requirements for the respective position. An important condition is that the candidate’s physical and mental health allows them to perform pedagogical activities. Employment is in line with the provisions of the Laws of Ukraine on Education and on Early Childhood Education and Care.
General secondary education
The founder or head of the educational institution organises an open competition to fill a teaching position. An appointment without a competition is also possible under a contractual basis, particularly in situations of staff shortages. Employment complies with the provisions of the Laws of Ukraine on Education and on Complete General Secondary Education.
Vocational education and training and professional pre higher education
The employment of teachers and vocational training instructors is under a labour contract or service contract. Mandatory requirements include relevant professional education, work experience in the field (for masters), pedagogical training, or completion of professional development courses.
Induction
Early childhood education and care
Official employment complies with an order from the head of the ECEI in line with the Labour Code of Ukraine. Newly appointed staff undergo an introductory briefing, familiarisation with internal regulations, the collective agreement, and their job description. Although a formal mentorship programme is not mandatory, many institutions provide support for educators without prior teaching experience from experienced teachers or teacher-methodologists.
General secondary education
Teacher employment follows the conditions set out in the Labour Code of Ukraine and includes mandatory briefing and the signing of an employment contract. Many communities introduce mentorship systems for novice teachers to support their professional adaptation. Some schools also run internal support programmes that offer methodological assistance and regular assessments of the needs of new educators.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
The Labour Code of Ukraine also regulates the employment of instructors and VET masters. Employees complete induction, occupational safety and pedagogical briefings, as well as familiarisation with curricula. Many institutions provide individual mentorship, especially for professionals with practical work experience who are entering the education sector for the first time.
Professional status
Early childhood education and care
ECEC staff hold official employee status in the education sector, which guarantees them rights established by the Law of Ukraine on Education (Articles 54-59), including academic freedom, participation in institutional governance and social guarantees.
General secondary education
Teachers in GSE institutions belong to the category of pedagogical staff. They have the right to professional assessment, continuing professional development, protection of professional dignity and access to certification as a voluntary form of competence assessment.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
Teachers and VET trainers hold the status of pedagogical staff. In professional colleges, they may also have the status of academic-pedagogical staff if they combine teaching with research activities. They have the same guarantees as school teachers.
Replacement measures
Early childhood education and care
In the absence of an educator, other staff members may temporarily perform their duties, or the institution may conclude a fixed-period employment contract with a replacement. Internal rotation is common in smaller communities.
General secondary education
Lessons may be covered through internal reserves, teaching combinations or the part-time involvement of other teachers. During martial law, remote teaching may also replace in-person lessons.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
The organisation of substitute teachers or instructors follows internal regulations. Hourly pay, part-time staff or professionals from related fields are often common.
Supporting measures
Early childhood education and care
Support is provided through participation in methodological associations, seminars, and consultations with ECEC methodologists or instructors. Staff have the right to free professional development.
General secondary education
There are professional development centres for teaching staff that offer methodological support, supervision and mentoring programmes. Online platforms are also of wide usage, such as EdWay and the All-Ukrainian Online School.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
Support is provided through mentoring, courses at Institutes of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education, and participation in MESU projects and international initiatives (e.g., EU4Skills). Some institutions also run internal Schools of Pedagogical Excellence.
Salaries
Early childhood education and care
The determination of salaries goes in line with the Unified Tariff Scale, taking into account teaching workload, qualification category and work experience. Additional payments may include: combining positions or roles; expanding the service area or increasing the volume of work (e.g., for educators and teaching assistants exceeding the planned group size); knowledge and use of a foreign language in work, etc. The founder of the ECEI and/or the ECEI itself has the right to establish additional allowances, bonuses, rewards or support payments from its own funds.
General secondary education
The basis for a teacher’s base salary is the workload (18 hours per week), qualification category and other factors. Additional allowances may be granted for class supervision, marking exercise books or teaching in rural areas.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
The salary level depends on workload, pay grade and qualification category. Additional allowances may be provided for working with industrial materials, hazardous conditions or mentoring.
Working time and holidays
Early childhood education and care
The weekly working hours for educational staff per one tariff rate are as follows: 35 hours for a director, an education adviser, a social pedagogue and an assistant educator; 30 hours for an educator, a practical psychologist and other pedagogical staff. The standard teaching load (direct educational work with children), which is part of the total working hours for ECEC staff, comprises the following:
- educator, physical education instructor – 25 hours per week,
- music instructor – 24 hours per week,
- practical psychologist, special education teacher, speech therapist – 20 hours per week,
- club (studio, section, etc.) leader, teacher – 18 hours per week.
According to the Law of Ukraine on Leave and the annex to the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 346 of 14.04.1997, the annual basic paid leave for ECEC staff is 56 calendar days.
General secondary education
For teachers, paragraph 1.2 of the Model Regulation on the Procedure for Calculating the Remuneration of Educational Staff (approved by the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1298 of 30.08.2002 and Ministry of Education Order No. 102 of 24.05.1993) defines the duration of teaching load. One full-rate position corresponds to 18 hours per week of classroom teaching, while duties such as lesson preparation, marking exercise books, and participation in meetings and events are performed within the total working hours.
Article 6 of the Law on Leave and Annex 1 to the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 346 stipulate that teachers are eligible for 56 calendar days of annual basic paid holiday.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
The teaching workload for instructors in VET institutions and colleges complies with the Unified Tariff Scale (the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1298) and the internal regulations. The workload ranges from 18 to 36 hours per week, depending on the position, type of subjects and form of tuition. For vocational training masters, there is a 36-hour workweek.
The annual basic paid leave for all categories of teaching staff is also 56 calendar days, regulated by the same provisions as for school teachers.
Promotion, advancement
Early childhood education and care
Career advancement depends on certification and the assignment of qualification categories (‘Specialist’, ‘Specialist I/II Category’, ‘Specialist of the Highest Category’, pedagogical title of ‘Master Teacher’ (education adviser)). It takes place at least once every five years.
General secondary education
Career advancement opportunities include promotion to a higher qualification category, participation in teacher certification, and advancement to positions such as education adviser, deputy director or school head teacher.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
Career progression occurs through certification, awarding the title of ‘Master Teacher’ (education adviser), as well as through appointments to administrative positions or participation in educational projects.
Mobility and transfers
Early childhood education and care
Transfer between ECEIs is possible with the agreement of both the employee and the employing authorities. During wartime, there is a common practice of temporary employment in safer regions.
General secondary education
Transfers between schools within local communities are common, particularly during network optimisation or when changing residence. In wartime conditions, online mobility is also common.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
Tutors may be transferred between institutions, particularly with the agreement of the founders or within the framework of the state education recovery programme. Participation in international internships and projects is encouraged.
Dismissal
Early childhood education and care
The Labour Code of Ukraine, in particular Articles 36-41 and 184, regulates the dismissal procedure for pedagogical staff in ECEIs. An employment contract may be terminated:
- at the initiative of the employee (resignation at own request, Art. 38);
- at the initiative of the employer on grounds provided in Art. 40 of the Labour Code (staff reduction, incompatibility with the position, systematic breach of labour discipline);
- upon expiration of a fixed-term contract (Art. 36, para. 2).
Special attention goes to the protection of the rights of educators with children under 3 (or 6) years of age, pregnant women and single mothers; under Article 184 of the Labour Code, their dismissal is only possible in exceptional cases.
General secondary education
General provisions of the Labour Code of Ukraine define the dismissal of teachers, and there are also details for this process in a collective agreement or employment contract. Common grounds for dismissal include:
- reduction of workload or staff numbers due to reorganisation or closure of a school (Art. 40, para. 1);
- failure to fulfil the terms of the contract;
- violation of professional ethics or labour discipline.
In wartime conditions, an employee may also be dismissed due to loss of the workplace caused by displacement or the cessation of the institution’s activities. At the same time, under Article 43 of the Labour Code, dismissal of teachers in state or municipal educational institutions can only occur with the agreement of the trade union, if one exists.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
In VET and PPHE institutions, the same general provisions of the Labour Code of Ukraine regarding dismissal apply. Specific features include:
- fixed-term employment contracts are often concluded with lecturers and master teachers for 1–5 years, meaning that employment ends automatically upon expiry of the contract (Art. 36, para. 2);
- grounds for dismissal may include loss of qualifications, absence of teaching workload or incompatibility with the position held;
- in the case of staff reductions or changes in terms of remuneration, the employer is obliged to notify the employee in writing at least 2 months in advance (Art. 49 of the Labour Code).
Under Article 116 of the Labour Code, all dismissals require an employing authority to issue an official order and to record it in the employment book (if available). The employer provides all due compensation.
Retirement and pensions
Early childhood education and care
Pedagogical staff of ECEIs retire on general grounds, as defined by the Law of Ukraine on Compulsory State Pension Insurance (No. 1058–IV of 09.07.2003).
The standard retirement age for both women and men in 2025 is 60 years, provided they have at least 32 years of insurance record (this threshold increases annually, reaching 35 years by 2028).
A separate category includes pedagogical workers eligible for early retirement based on years of service, as provided for in Article 51 of the Law of Ukraine on Pension Provision (1992). To qualify, individuals must have at least 30 years of teaching experience in positions listed in the Schedule No. 909, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (Resolution No. 909 of 04.11.1993).
The calculation of the pension rate depends on salary and the insurance record coefficient. Due to reforms in the pension system, new pensions are assigned through individual accounting in the electronic register of insured persons.
General secondary education
Teachers in GSE institutions have the same retirement rights. Pensions can be granted:
- by age – provided the individual has the required insurance record (Art. 26 of Law No. 1058–IV);
- based on years of service – under the Law of Ukraine on Pension Provision (for those who acquired the right before 01.01.2018);
- payment of a service-based pension is suspended if the teacher continues working in a position that entitles them to such a pension. This means that it is not possible to receive both a full salary and a pension simultaneously without temporarily suspending the pension.
Pedagogical staff who have reached retirement age may continue working under a fixed-term employment contract, in accordance with the Labour Code of Ukraine.
Vocational education and training and professional pre-higher education
Lecturers and vocational training instructors, like other teaching staff, may receive a pension either by age or by length of service. Certain positions qualify for a service-based pension, including:
- lecturers at VET institutions and colleges;
- vocational training instructors (provided they are included in the Schedule No. 909);
- dormitory educators, methodologists, and educational process managers.
After reaching retirement age or completing the required length of service, individuals may continue teaching under a fixed-term employment contract. Those with less than 30 years of service receive their pension under the standard rules of Law No. 1058-IV.
Teachers can also receive bonuses and supplements for long service in line with Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1298 and MESU Order No. 102.