Romania proposes new salary scale for teachers

Romanian interim Labor Minister Dragoș Pîslaru has proposed a new salary scale for educators designed to significantly increase teacher incomes starting September 1, 2027. To manage the fiscal impact within a 12.1 billion lei budget, the government intends to spread the budgetary burden over several years.

The proposed plan involves implementing the new scale at the start of the school year rather than January 1, which would limit the initial fiscal impact to one-quarter of the total cost in 2027. Additionally, the government suggests delaying the implementation of performance bonuses for all staff to create financial space for these educational wage increases. The full effect of the restructuring is expected to be felt in 2028 and 2029. Pîslaru emphasized that the formula aims to repair existing inequities and increase pay for hourly work and seniority without making promises that lack budgetary coverage.