Greek Teachers’ Salaries Among Lowest in EU

According to the Teachers’ and School Heads’ Salaries and Allowances in Europe 2011/12 published by the European Commission to coincide with World Teachers’ Day, teachers’ salaries in Greece are among the lowest in the 17 countries of the Eurozone, and 15 others in Europe because of punishing pay cuts under harsh austerity measures.

The economic crisis has had an impact on teacher’s salaries in most EU Member States but especially in Ireland, Greece, Spain, Latvia and Romania. In Greece, teachers’ salaries have been reduced by 30 percent, while Christmas and Easter bonuses have also been cut and are set to be eliminated. The average annual salary for a Greek teacher is 22,213 euros, ($28,964) while teachers in Bulgaria and Romania are in a far worse state at 10,405 euros ($13,567) and 9,614 euros ($12,5332) annual salary respectively, although Romania is now at pre-crisis levels.

The report reveals, however, that teachers’ salaries in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, United Kingdom, Croatia and Liechtenstein have fallen slightly or stayed the same, while in the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Iceland, teachers’ salaries have increased since mid-2010.

“Teachers play a vital role in the lives of children and, as everyone knows, can make all the difference to their future,” said Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth. “Teachers’ remuneration and working conditions should be a top priority in order to attract and retain the best in the profession. But attracting the best teachers is not just about pay: it is imperative that classrooms are well-equipped and that teachers have a proper say on modernizing curricula and education reforms.”