Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Senators actively discussed the Law “On the Status of Teachers,” which was included in the agenda of the forty-fifth plenary meeting of the Senate.

On the basis of this Law, the status of a teacher in the Republic of Uzbekistan is recognized by creating organizational and legal conditions for teachers to carry out their professional activities, ensuring their social protection and providing guarantees for the implementation of their rights.

The law clearly establishes the rights of teachers to carry out their professional activities. In particular, a teacher, when carrying out his professional activities, has the right to demand the creation of the necessary conditions for the implementation of professional activities, sabbatical leave in accordance with legislative acts, participation in the management of an educational organization, as well as in discussing issues related to the activities of an educational organization, protection from unlawful interference in their professional activities, as well as the requirement of respect for the teaching profession on the part of students and their parents (legal representatives).

At the same time, the Law prohibits interference in the professional activities of a teacher during the implementation of his professional activities, involvement in work not related to the professional activities of a teacher, involvement of a teacher on duty in an educational organization during the autumn-winter period and on non-working holidays, obliging a teacher to acquisition of goods and services, including withholding funds for goods and services from the official salary without his consent.

In addition, the Law establishes the rules of pedagogical ethics, training, retraining and advanced training of teachers, certification and qualification categories of teachers. The rules of pedagogical ethics are developed for educational organizations by the Ministry of Preschool and School Education, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.

Another important aspect is the establishment of rules for remuneration of teachers. In particular, it is envisaged to establish allowances for teachers working in remote areas of the republic and specialized educational institutions for children with special educational needs, which are determined in accordance with legislative acts. The Law separately specifies the payment of a monthly bonus for persons with an academic degree of Candidate of Sciences or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the amount of up to 30 percent of the base salary and for persons with a Doctor of Science (DSc) degree in the amount of up to 60% of the base salary.

Guarantees of social protection for teachers are also provided. In particular, reduced working hours are established for teachers, paid annual basic extended leave with a maximum duration of up to fifty-six calendar days, monthly compensation for rental housing in remote areas of the republic is assigned, and it is established that children of teachers are accepted into state preschool educational organizations on the basis preferential list, mandatory free medical examination of teachers of state educational organizations in state health care institutions.

The senators noted that the adoption of this Law serves to improve the status of teaching staff in society, regulate legal, social and economic relations related to his activities, create conditions for professional development, and provide legal guarantees.

Following the discussion, the Law was approved by the senators.