Prague – Minister of Education Mikuláš Bek (STAN) would not vote for next year’s budget, which, according to him, would not be fair to the education chapter, and he would consider it risky whether the MPs of the STAN government movement would support it. He said this to journalists today after a meeting with President Petr Pavlo at Prague Castle. He did not want to reveal what budget increase he would like for next year, the first sharp round of government debates will begin in the second half of August. He also spoke with the president about the support of vocational education and the revision of the educational program for elementary schools.
“The first sharp round of debate on the budget will take place after the government holidays sometime after August 20. Until then I don’t want to comment on the exact amounts or give them. The government needs to have some time to discuss internally and find a consensus on what the priorities are next year’s budget,” Bek pointed out.
Last year, the ministry budgeted 265 billion crowns for expenses, this year 273 billion. In May, Bek said on Czech television that the draft budget for next year envisages an increase of several tens of billions.
“It is true what I said, that I would not want to be with a budget that would not credibly fulfill the program statement of the government. I think that we are separated from a possible resignation by a whole series of negotiations and other steps,” noted the minister. “I would certainly not vote for a budget that, from my point of view, would not be fair to the education department, and I would also consider it very risky whether such a budget would receive the support of my caucus,” added Bek.
According to the minister, the department’s priority for 2025 is to strengthen the budget of universities, which, according to him, has stagnated relatively significantly in the last ten years compared to the increase in the regional education budget. Another goal is to support investments in school infrastructure.
“Next year, the question is how much of the money we manage to allocate for investments. I would consider it reasonable for us to look for a way to combine the subsidy program with the strengthening of capital in the National Development Bank,” said Bek. “So that we can use a combination of subsidies and financial instruments, i.e. long-term preferential loans, to support school infrastructure projects,” he explained.
Mandatory expenses in education, which relate to the allocation of money for teachers’ salaries, will also be a topic. Today, Bek also explained to the President the ambition to strengthen the financing of non-pedagogues, so that next year it will be possible to raise their salaries or wages in line with other sectors in the public environment.
As for this year’s budget, there was talk earlier about the department’s efforts to increase it by three billion crowns. “Negotiations are ongoing. I expect that we will address these issues again in the next round just after the government holidays,” Bek said today. “The figures are being specified, because the drawing of some components of the budget runs faster, some slower. I think that in the Ministry of Education it may not be the whole three billion,” he then added to the debates about the amount.
Bek understands the union’s nervousness, but accepts that a decision on salary increases will be made in August
Minister of Education Mikuláš Bek (STAN) understands some of the nervousness of the trade unions, but accepts that a decision on salary increases in the public sector will be made only after the government holidays. He said this to journalists today after a meeting with President Petr Pavlo at Prague Castle. Public sector unions are considering declaring a strike alert due to the fact that they still do not have an agreement with the cabinet on salary increases for this year and next year. The foremen and foremen will decide on the procedure on Wednesday.
Unions are demanding an addition to tariffs of at least ten percent for everyone in the public sector from September. Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL) told ČTK last week that he wants to submit a proposal to the government with an increase in earnings in the range of seven to ten percent from September for part of the public sector and civil servants, others could then receive an increase from January.
Salaries in the public sector are determined by five tables with individual tariffs according to expertise and length of experience. Jurečka mentioned the adjustment of the first table from September for civil servants, workers in culture, technical workers in social services and in the health sector, or non-pedagogical forces in education. He also wants to propose additions for people in the civil service. The minister said that a debate will then be held on the addition of other workers, starting in January. Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) has already said that during the preparation of the budget for next year, an adequate salary increase will also be discussed.
Bek does not consider it a mistake that the government will not decide on the increase this week, but only in the second half of August after the government holidays. But he hopes that the initial increase will actually be made from September 1. “I understand some nervousness of the trade unions, I would also like it if the decision could be made this week, for example. But I accept that it will be right after the government holidays,” he noted. “We definitely support the increase, because given the rate of inflation and salary growth in the private sector, we consider such a step correct,” added the Minister of Education.
846,300 people work in the public sector. Of these, according to the first table, 359,900 receive earnings and 70,400 are state employees. Unions are demanding an addition to tariffs of at least ten percent for everyone in the public sector from September. They originally asked for a 15 percent increase. According to the Ministry of Labour, this would cost 22 billion crowns by the end of the year. Seven billion crowns would be needed to grow by five percent.
Tariff increase in the lowest table she suggested and some employers. The union and the confederation of employers’ unions have previously recommended to the government to raise the salary base for these employees by five percent, starting this April. They pointed out that roughly half of the tariffs in this table are below the minimum or guaranteed wage and that it is difficult to recruit and retain employees under such conditions. After a tripartite board meeting at the end of June, employer representatives said they would be in favor of a seven percent increase from September.
CR schools government Bek Pavel budget 2nd VERSION
Source: www.ceskenoviny.cz
