New Regulations for Teacher Assignments to Remote Regions Come into Effect

As of January 2021, a decree from the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport has come into force regarding the assignment of specialists to state educational institutions in border or high-altitude areas. The new regulations offer more favorable conditions for assigned teachers.

Assigned specialists will receive additional support for the following expenses:

• Transportation costs for the specialist and their family members: if the route is microbus only, the amount will be according to the established microbus fare; if both microbus and bus routes are available, the costs will be according to the established bus fare (previously not provided).
• Transportation costs for moving property: up to 50 kilometers will be covered at 10,000 AMD, and for every additional 50 kilometers, 8,000 AMD, not exceeding 50,000 AMD (previously, the amount allocated for moveable property was 15,000 AMD).
• Transportation costs for visiting their permanent residence up to 4 times a year: if merely using microbus routes, it will conform to microbus fare; for both bus and microbus routes, it will be according to the bus fare (previous provision allowed for up to 4 reimbursements annually).
• Housing rent subsidy will be allocated based on specified limits in various regions (10,000-33,000 AMD, compared to only 10,000 AMD monthly previously).
• Monthly utility costs covered at 10,200 AMD (previously covered only up to 5,000 AMD for other living expenses).
• Salary supplement at 30% (previously not provided).

These allocations will be provided quarterly by the regional administrations (for institutions under the ministry's purview).

According to the new regulations, the Minister of Education will create and maintain a database of candidates for specialist assignments to state educational institutions in border or high-altitude areas. Announcements regarding this initiative will be published on the ministry's official website at least four times a year. Interested individuals may apply by submitting the appropriate application form.

Regional administrations will submit requests regarding the need for pedagogical staff to the ministry by August 10 each year (if there is an urgent need during the academic year, it must be submitted within ten days after the requirement arises). The demand for pedagogical staff will be assessed if at least two previous instances of announcments fail to fill the vacant teaching positions.

The new regulations are expected to mitigate the shortage of teachers in remote communities. It should also be noted that according to previous regulations, contracts signed with specialists assigned to state educational institutions will remain valid until the end of the 2020-2021 academic year, as stipulated in the Armenian government's decision No. 1412-N on September 3, 2003.