The recently proposed Law on the Status of Teachers in Tajikistan has sparked significant discussions among experts and the public. Despite the long-awaited preparation and submission of the draft law to the parliament, several issues remain unclear and require further scrutiny and debate before the law is adopted. Qironsho Sharifzoda, senior lecturer of the Department of Journalism, Tajik National University, shares his opinion about this subject.
The draft of the law, which was prepared following a government decree on July 31, 2025, and presented to the lower house of parliament, was expected to be published for public discussion. However, as of now, two months have passed without any indication of its publication in the media or consideration by any relevant bodies.
The positive aspect of the law is that it addresses long-standing conversations regarding the need to legally establish the status and social guarantees for teachers. The law, as stated in its introduction, is designed to regulate the status, rights protection, and social guarantees for educators, and to ensure effective performance of their duties.
However, there are still significant questions that need to be addressed.
Key concerns and issues
One of the key concerns is the growing role of non-state (private) educational and training institutions in Tajikistan’s education system. These institutions have their own specificities, but the draft law lacks provisions for teachers working in such institutions. If the law is intended to apply only to public educational and training institutions, this should be clearly stated in the text.
Upon reviewing the draft law available on the Ministry of Justice’s website, several points raised concerns that I would like to highlight.
Article 1: Definitions
The draft law defines a "teacher" as someone with secondary or higher professional education, engaged in the teaching, upbringing, and guidance at various levels of education, from preschool to higher education. However, it is surprising that the draft does not specifically address teachers in higher and postgraduate education, as well as those in adult and supplementary education. This omission requires clarification, given the importance of these categories in the education system.
Article 6: Teacher’s responsibilities
Article 6 outlines several key responsibilities for teachers, but some provisions may provoke debate. For instance, paragraph 7 states that teachers should not engage in political or religious agitation or encourage students to adopt political or religious ideas. While this is an attempt to keep education free from politicization, a concern arises: could this provision lead to ambiguity in a system where most teachers belong to the same political party, and educational institutions strongly support that party?
Another important issue is found in paragraph 9 of the same article, which prohibits teachers from collecting money from students for various activities such as repairs, subscriptions to non-educational publications, and funding for events like Teacher's Day or the last bell ceremony. This provision addresses a longstanding problem, as the practice of collecting money from students for these purposes has sparked public outrage, especially on social media. If the law is passed, it may expedite resolving this issue.
Article 8: Guarantees for Teachers
Article 8 focuses on guarantees for teachers, including a ban on deductions from teachers' salaries for non-educational subscriptions and for various non-teaching expenses. This is a positive step, as it will relieve teachers from the obligation to pay for subscriptions to irrelevant publications, potentially saving part of their modest salaries. However, teachers will still have the option to subscribe to professional publications at their own expense, provided their financial situation permits.
Article 9: Teacher incentives
A contentious issue in the draft law is material support for teachers, particularly in Article 9, which proposes an annual payment equivalent to one standard salary indicator for utilities. However, the proposed amount of 75 somonis (approximately $6.50) is clearly insufficient to cover utility costs, which can amount to around 1800 somonis annually for an average teacher. Therefore, this support appears to be more symbolic than truly beneficial.
Article 11: Responsibilities of state authorities
Another noteworthy provision is found in Article 11, which addresses the obligations of state authorities. Specifically, paragraph 13 states that government bodies should assist teachers in rural areas with obtaining land for private housing. While this provision has been included in previous laws, its implementation has been rare. To ensure it becomes a reality, the language should be strengthened to require all relevant authorities to provide land for teachers in rural areas without delay.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the thoughts raised after reviewing the draft Law on the Status of Teachers. While this is not an exhaustive analysis, it highlights the need for a thorough examination of the law before it is adopted. Given the importance of this law in shaping the future of education in Tajikistan, it is crucial that it be subject to public discussion.
As with other key legislative initiatives in the country’s history, such as the Law on Regulating Traditions and Celebrations (2007) and the Law on Periodical Press and Other Media (2013), it is essential that the proposed law be openly debated to ensure it truly benefits the teaching profession and society as a whole. Thus, I urge the parliamentarians of Tajikistan to take their time in considering this law and to involve the public in the discussion process before moving forward with its adoption.
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