Bishkek Officials Detail Program to Attract Young Teachers Amid Staff Shortage

Bishkek is grappling with a significant shortage of young teachers, prompting city officials to detail efforts aimed at attracting and retaining new educators. At a session of the Bishkek City Kenesh commission on social issues, Deputy Mayor Victoria Mozgaheva discussed the "Young Teacher Deposit" program, designed to incentivize graduates to enter the teaching profession. The program offers a deposit of 91,125 soms, funded by the local budget, but it comes with a strict three-year service requirement. Mozgaheva explained that not all university graduates participate, and many who do leave the profession after only a year or two, forfeiting the deposit. The city aims to ensure that participating teachers are aware of the program's conditions and commit to their roles. The initiative allocates 7 million soms annually for these deposits, highlighting Bishkek's commitment to bolstering its teaching workforce amidst a persistent deficit.

“

Not all applicants pass the selection, and not all who agree to work are capable of working for three consecutive years. Many teachers leave school after just a year or a year and a half. The deposit is paid only after the three-year period, if the teacher continues their activity without interruption.