CBN Extra,
15, September 2007
By Mehpara Sultanova

In the new academic year of 2007 new reforms are expected in the secondary and high schools of Azerbaijan, stated the Ministry of Education press center. According to this reform, teachers who have reached pension age will be dismissed from work and young specialists will take their place. Mislr Mardanov, Ministry of Education, said that the majority of teachers who reach 60 years or more, aren't physically able to teach lessons. Consequently, this negatively affects the quality of education. Even though last year the Education Minister mentioned this matter, no real measures were taken. But this matter is also disputable. It is still not known on what basis and on which terms teachers will be pensioned. Will there be any differences between experienced teachers? Khayyam Pharacov, head of- cadres department of Education Ministry, says that the exact terms of this reform haven't yet been defined: "I can only say that teachers who aren't able to teach lessons due. to their age will be sent to pension. Their work abilities will be valued by employers. If a teacher reads a lecture from a yellowed page, and even he cannot understand what he reads, in this case the teacher will be dismissed from work". According to statistical information, there are more than 170,000 teachers in Azerbaijan. 33,689 work in the secondary schools of Baku. 29,920 are female, 3,769 male. According to the records, the number of female teachers between ages 30-57 are 22,773. Male teachers aged between 3f>62 arc 2,770. The number of female teachers over 57 years are 2,971; male teachers over 62 years number 697.

Kh.Pharacov says that the result of an investigation held in Baku's secondary schools by the Cadres Department shows that due to the health problems of teachers who have passed pension age (60-65) the quality of their teaching becomes poor. He also added that this reform will not place any differences between functionaries or without functionary teachers: "AH measures will be done in correspondence to the Labor Code. This problem cannot be passed over".

But the majority of older teachers in Baku's secondary schools don't agree with this reform, and they consider that if the health of teachers who reach pension age allows them to work, they can manage the work and shouldn't have a work limit. But those older teachers, who cannot manage, shouldn't work Salim Ahmedov, 65 years old and working in one of Baku's secondary school for 45 years, says he cannot retire because of the small amount of pld-age pension available in Azerbaijan: "I get a salary of 100 manat (approximately 115 U.S dollars) and my wife gets 70 manat (80 U.S. dollars). We barely manage to meet our monthly commitments and live in a very small way. Can you imagine if I were to retire I would have only 20 manat (23 U.S dollars) pension. Is it possible to provide a life with this sum?" S.Ahmedov is a teacher of history. Despite his age, he is just as capable of working at school as the younger teachers: "It is my work and I love it very much. Those young history teachers, who come to work in our school have profited by my advice. My pupils get great mark indications in admittance to high school. It is a great injustice to be forced to retire".

Another teacher Sabira Mustafayc-va 60 also agrees. "It is said a reform will be held in order to make us (elderly teachers) retire. But the Ministry of Education must create normal conditions before we can retire. If I can get a normal old aged pension, I would have left school with great pleasure. Even though I am tired, I am forced to work in order to support my ramify". S.Mustafayeva says that her husband is gravely ill and she must also buy his medicines. "Can I provide for my family and buy medicine with an old aged pension? What are the state authorities thinking about?" stressed the teacher nervously.

The official structures dealing with this matter also confirmed that mere is no legal basis required in order to fire teachers who have reached pension age from work "These teachers have already worked in the pedagogical field for a long time and gained a rich experience. Very regularly their practices are used in the secondary school where they worked. At the same time if an elderly teacher can't cope with lessons, they must retire. -The Education minister has also stated many times that teachers shouldn't stay in work beyond pension age", says Bahman Nabiyev, chief of Baku Education Institution's Department on Strategic Analysis, Planning and Managing Cadres.

Because the amount of Azerbaijan's old age pension is very small, the majority of teachers who reach pension age don't want to leave work most experts consider that if this amount were raised, older teachers would gladly leave. "In developed countries everybody retires wide great gladness and honor. If such structures were to be created in Azerbaijan Azeri teachers reaching pension age would happily retire. Elderly teachers must be given additional social guarantees. I consider this issue will also be included into Education Law", said B.Nabiyev. He added that some of the experienced teachers who are pension able age are useful for Azerbaijan's education: "But as their work ability reduces, this issue- must be rationalized. According to State Service law, if anybody wants to retire willingly, he is given a yearly social guarantee. It would be better if this rule were also applied for those teachers who reach retirement age".

But other experts on education consider this reform as a violation of teachers' rights. Malahat Murshudlu head of Free Teachers Unite, a local NGO, says that it should be seen as a violation of human rights to dismiss elderly teachers from school: "Our NGO held a survey amongst teachers who have reached to pension age and tried to learn why they still work. It was clear that most of them work due to social hardship. If the amount of pension for retired teachers was satisfactory for living and corresponded to market prices, then they would not have to work at this age, and would leave wor.. willingly".

On the other hand some older teachers look at the school as their home and they find moral support in school, rather than in the family. Seyran Cafarov, 67, says that he couldnt live without school: "I have my children, my grandchildren: "But for me school very natural. I can still manage to teach lessons and I don't want to be dismissed".

Some school principals' hold the view that the experience of older teachers is very necessary at secondary schools. Nigar Carullagizi, headmistress of the music school named after Bulbul, says that according to this time the teacher should retire because it is very difficult to work with children. While teachers are in contact with children there is nervous tension and this can greatly affect older teachers. For this reason older teachers should be retire in time".

"But in spite of that there are older teachers in Bulbul School", added the school principal, and they teach better man young specialists: "I consider the Education Ministry should look for situations and methods so that older teachers don't have to leave school for ever, as they are so experienced at teaching. At the present time not only the amount of pension, but also the amount of the teachers' salaries is very small. Because of this teachers cannot live even to a minimum level. That's why the teachers' problem is common. We are hoping that the State will soon solve this problem". Some experts hold the view that the older teacher's family should support and look after them. In these cases, those teachers who reach retirement age should leave work voluntarily. Teachers devote their life to children and that's why they should be surrounded with care. N. Jarullagizi acknowledged that she wants the older generation to retire: "Because their teachings don't provide appropriate results, or the quality that is possible. Pupils prefer contact with young teachers. I think if material conditions were normal for older teachers, then the majority of them would have retired by choice".