Experiment with exams and housing certificates: how Tatarstan is addressing the teacher shortage problem

      The shortage of teaching staff in the republic is estimated at two thousand specialists

      In the system of general education of the Republic of Tatarstan, there is a shortage of teaching staff, which is estimated at about two thousand teachers. This was reported at a briefing for journalists by the Minister of Education and Science of the region, Ilsur Khadiullin. Despite the difficult staffing situation, the minister assured that the educational process is being maintained in a regular mode without disruptions to educational programs. This is facilitated by a set of support measures and resource redistribution. To address the problem and attract new specialists to schools, a number of support programs are being implemented. Thus, the average salary of a young teacher in the republic is 55 thousand rubles. One of the most significant social measures is the provision of housing certificates. This year, 300 teachers will receive certificates worth one million rubles each to improve their housing conditions. Alongside addressing staffing issues, the Ministry of Education and Science of Tatarstan is launching a large-scale experiment concerning ninth-grade graduates. In 2026, the republic will become one of 12 pilot regions in the country where a new format of final exams will be tested. As part of the project, ninth-graders will be offered to take two additional exams in professions that are in demand in the local labor market, alongside the main tests. The minister cited specialties related to clothing sewing as an example. According to preliminary data, about 10% of all graduates of the basic school in the republic will participate in the experiment. An important condition is the guaranteed allocation of budget places in colleges and technical schools for the chosen specialties for the regions participating in the project. This initiative has previously sparked public discussions: some experts see it as an opportunity for early profiling, while others see risks of excessive simplification of the program and a shift in focus from general education to narrow professional training. The minister also addressed issues of language policy and the integration of migrant children. He confirmed that the subjects "Native Language" and "Native Literature" remain a mandatory part of the curriculum in all schools in Tatarstan. In 2025, nearly a thousand children arriving from other countries underwent testing procedures for enrollment in republican schools, of which 199 were unable to successfully complete the proposed tasks. Thus, the education system of Tatarstan is simultaneously working on addressing immediate staffing challenges and experimenting with new approaches to knowledge assessment and career orientation for graduates, striving to adapt to modern economic and social demands.

      Yulia Kazamarova