Teachers gearing up for holiday break: essential insights into wages and conditions
As the summer season draws near, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Education has issued a reminder to educators about their annual vacation entitlements. Teachers in Kazakhstan are legally entitled to a paid vacation of 56 calendar days each year.
Additional days are allocated depending on the teacher's work environment. Those operating in disaster-prone areas can expect between 7 and 12 extra days, while those based in radiation risk territories get 5 to 14 additional days. Public holidays that fall within the vacation period are not accounted for.
An annual health resort allowance is also provided, equating to the teacher's salary rate. Only the current teaching load is considered for this allowance, with no additional payments included. Part-time teachers are still entitled to the full 56 days of vacation.
In cases where a teacher holds multiple positions within the same organization, the allowance is only granted for the primary position. Nevertheless, separate allowances should be paid for each position when teachers engage in 'official moonlighting.'
The Ministry of Education underscored that educational institutions are accountable for timely vacation fund payments, adherence to teachers' labor rights, and prompt fulfillment of vacation-related obligations, including the payment of corresponding allowances.
Regarding teacher salaries and bonuses, increases of up to 100% were implemented in Kazakhstan from 2020 to elevate teachers' status. Bonuses were also introduced for pre-school, technical, and vocational education teachers, as well as for teachers meeting certain criteria such as qualifications, length of service, working conditions, academic degrees, and mentoring.
Teachers in rural areas are offered salaries at least 25% higher than their urban counterparts to encourage teaching in remote locations. In 2025, around 11,000 teachers pursued professional development courses, with a focus on rural teachers. A new platform was launched for continuous teacher development, ensuring transparency in certification.
While specific labor rights details concerning vacation and teachers working in disaster or radiation-risk zones are not provided, the general framework highlights the importance of teacher development and compensation. Labor rights in Kazakhstan, as governed by the Labor Code, encompass provisions for working conditions, leave, and compensation for hazardous work environments. However, specific regulations for teachers in such challenging environments may be found in legislative or regulatory documents not mentioned in the search results.
When seeking detailed information on labor rights and specific regulations for teachers in challenging environments, it is advisable to consult official government or educational resources in Kazakhstan.
- In the context of the Ministry of Education's focus on teacher development and compensation, it might be interesting to explore financing options for education-and-self-development courses, considering additional financial provisions are granted for teachers working in disaster-prone and radiation risk zones.
- Given the various financial allowances allocated to teachers in Kazakhstan, such as salary increases and health resort allowances, one could consider advocating for similar finance support for continuing education and self-development opportunities in the education sector.
