Ukraine Sets New Minimum Pay for Preschool Teachers, Effective 2026.

Pay Rise for Ukrainian Preschool Teachers Scheduled for 2026

According to Novyny.live: Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers has mandated a salary increase for preschool educators, set to take effect in 2026. Under Government Decree No. 1749, wages will rise by a mandatory 40%, calculated from a new base rate of 3,470 hryvnias and adjusted according to assigned tariff grades.

Revised Pay Scale and Minimum Wages

Teachers will be eligible for grades 10 through 14 on the pay scale. As of February 2026, their minimum monthly salaries will be as follows:

• Grade 10 — 8,841 hryvnias;
• Grade 11 — 9,570 hryvnias;
• Grade 12 — 10,298 hryvnias;
• Grade 13 — 11,027 hryvnias;
• Grade 14 — 11,755 hryvnias.

For context, the projected national average salary in Ukraine for February 2026 is 27,500 hryvnias, representing a 17% increase from the previous year. This policy aims to enhance working conditions in preschools and elevate the profession's status. The move is seen as a crucial step toward improving social protections for education workers and boosting the quality of early childhood education in Ukraine.

The planned wage adjustment reflects a growing focus on the financial support for educators, a key factor in ensuring educational quality. Amid economic shifts and rising demands on the education system, such measures are intended to help attract new specialists to early childhood education and increase motivation among current staff.