Empty billions: teachers were promised +50%, but there is no money in the budget

People’s Deputy from the “European Solidarity” Nina Yuzhanina stated that in the draft state budget for 2026, the government makes big social promises without real funding. In particular, it is about the loudly announced increase in teachers’ salaries – by 50%.

She said this in an interview with Telegraf.

“The budget is always complex mathematics. But the authorities have already started the election campaign, and we see it in the numbers,” Yuzhanina emphasized.

According to the deputy, compared to 2025, education expenditures will increase by UAH 66.5 billion, of which UAH 53.8 billion will go to increasing salaries for school teachers.

However, this amount is not included in the section “subsidies to local budgets for teacher salaries”: the figures remained at the 2025 level.

“That is, the question arises: where to get those 53.8 billion to pay them?” asks Yuzhanina.

The deputy assumes that the financial burden will be shifted to local budgets, despite the fact that they are already working at the limit of their capabilities.

Yuzhanina reminded that if the authorities are really planning such an increase, the law “On Education” must be implemented, which states that a teacher’s salary is not less than three minimum salaries. But currently this law is not being implemented.

“If this is not populism, where is the implementation of the law?” the deputy summarized.

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