President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon has signed the Law on the Status of Teachers, which will come into effect following its official publication in the national media. The new legislation is designed to protect the honor and dignity of educators, ensure their social and professional rights, and define the responsibilities and guarantees associated with the teaching profession.
The law affirms the inviolability of teachers’ professional activities and introduces legal protections against humiliation, pressure, and labor rights violations. It also prohibits the practice of involving teachers in mandatory community cleanups (subbotniks) or collecting money in schools.
The initiative to draft the law was first proposed by President Rahmon during a speech on Knowledge Day last year, where he expressed concern about the declining social standing of teachers and tasked the government with preparing legislation to address the issue. The bill was later approved by both chambers of parliament — the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) and the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper chamber of parliament).
The law also outlines a range of social guarantees for teachers, including priority access to land plots and provision of housing. These measures are intended to improve the living and working conditions of educators across the country.
Under the section on teachers’ rights, the legislation grants them the ability to demand proper working conditions from school administrations and to expect respectful behavior from students and their parents.
In addition, teachers engaged in active professional duties are allowed to postpone mandatory military service. The law also permits educators who have reached retirement age to continue their teaching careers if they choose to do so.
