The
Russian United Democratic party YABLOKO considers Government’s
statement on abolishing of indexation of wages of the budget
sphere workers in 2010 absolutely unacceptable.
In particular, such a decision makes government’s announcing
of 2010 the Year of Teacher, as well as all the words about
respect of this profession that many state bureaucrats will
say on September 1 [the day when children go to school after
summer vacation] cynical and void.
Investments into education, preservation and increase of
the number of qualified teachers is one of the strategic anti-crisis
measures.
The collapse of the education sphere is more dangerous than
any payments default - it will mean the end of hopes to Russia’s
development commensurating to the requirements of the 21st
century.
The YABLOKO faction of the Moscow City Duma has prepared
and will submit amendments to the Moscow budget for 2010 so
that to increase the wage fund for educational institutions
by 64,513 mln roubles, which would allow Moscow to raise wages
of teachers and all the workers of the sector by 1.5 times.
However, most of Russia’s regions simply do not have ample
finance so that to compensate for the shortsightedness of
the governments.
The Russian United Democratic party YABLOKO calls the Government
of the Russian Federation to revise its erroneous decision
referring to the workers of the education sphere in the beginning
of the school year, and then for the workers of the medical
sector and other budget spheres strategically important for
the country.
We also think that development of a special state programme
for education and science is required, such programme could
serve as a strategic anti-crisis measure, and we are ready
to render our assistance in the solution of this problem.
Sergei Mitrokhin,
Chairman of the YABLOKO party
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