Every teacher needs a successful man who will pay for this hobby—such jokes circulate among school teachers in Tatarstan, who are clearly dissatisfied with their salaries. The republic is short of 3.7 thousand specialists, but their incomes are not growing. More details about the problem are in the material.

The First Years Are the Scariest

Teachers say that even now you can still encounter children who throw chairs and cause trouble in various ways. For such a workload, they are paid only 11 thousand rubles. That’s why some teachers look «like beggars,» sources admit.

Currently, a young specialist working at a school on a full-time basis and receiving additional payments for classroom management and grading papers can earn from 35 thousand rubles, according to the head of the education department. The republic’s authorities are not yet able to double salaries, but in the regional capital, things are not all bad.

Disobedient children can still be found in Tatarstan schools
Disobedient children can still be found in Tatarstan schools.

Is It Really That Bad?

At the start of the 2025-2026 academic year, Tatarstan is short 3.7 thousand teachers, even though there are only 721 vacancies on the HeadHunter website. The region cannot even recruit targeted specialists, and many work 1.5 times the standard load. Many teachers do not hesitate to complain to the authorities about the problem.

For example, a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences appealed to the President of Russia and asked to transfer school funding to the federal level. And a chemistry teacher from Naberezhnye Chelny told the head of Tatarstan directly that she does not have enough money. If the workload increases, there can be no talk of starting a family.

Today, the greatest need for teachers is in Kazan and Naberezhnye Chelny. There is also an acute shortage in the Nizhnekamsk, Laishivsky, and Leninogorsk districts. The deficit is most severe among math, Russian language, and elementary school teachers.

Teacher vacancies in Kazan schools
Teacher vacancies in Kazan schools.

According to job postings, Kazan schools hire teachers with varying experience. «Urgent! Elementary school teacher needed,» states an ad from one Tatar gymnasium. Applicants are required to be responsible and disciplined.

Gymnasium No. 1 in the Vakhitovsky district is willing to pay 30-40 thousand rubles to a history teacher. Experience is not required here. In the Novo-Savinovsky district, School No. 103 will pay 60-80 thousand rubles to math, Russian language and literature, and physics teachers.

Duties of a history teacher in Tatar gymnasium No. 1
Duties of a history teacher in Tatar gymnasium No. 1.

How a Teacher’s Salary Is Structured

If you study the regulations on teachers’ pay conditions, you can get a basic understanding of how teachers earn in Tatarstan. Income consists of the following components: base salary, incentive payments, and compensatory payments. However, not every teacher receives all these additional payments at the same time.

The salary amount depends on the teacher’s qualification level. Teachers are usually at the fourth, lowest level,

Tatarstan

Tatarstan is a republic in Russia with a rich history as a center of the Volga Bulgar state and later the Kazan Khanate, which was conquered by Russia in the 16th century. It is a culturally unique region where Islam and Orthodox Christianity coexist, and the Tatar and Russian languages are both official. Its capital, Kazan, is a major economic and cultural hub known for landmarks like the Kul Sharif Mosque and the Kazan Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Kazan

Kazan is the capital city of Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, renowned for its unique blend of Russian and Tatar cultures. Its most iconic landmark is the Kazan Kremlin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which houses the Qolşärif Mosque—one of Europe’s largest—and the Annunciation Cathedral, symbolizing the city’s history as a former capital of the Khanate of Kazan, conquered by Ivan the Terrible in 1552.

Naberezhnye Chelny

Naberezhnye Chelny is a major industrial city in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, most famous as the headquarters of the KAMAZ truck manufacturer. Its modern history and rapid growth began in the 1960s and 70s when it was developed as a center for the Soviet automotive industry, though the area has a much older history as a settlement dating back to the 17th century.

Nizhnekamsk

Nizhnekamsk is a modern industrial city in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, founded in 1961 during the Soviet era. It was developed as a major center for the petrochemical industry, with its history and economy being dominated by the massive Nizhnekamskneftekhim refinery and tire manufacturing plants.

Laishivsky

I am unable to provide a summary for «Laishivsky» as I cannot find any verifiable information or significant cultural or historical sites by that name. It is possible the spelling may be incorrect or it may refer to a very localized or obscure place. Could you please verify the spelling or provide any additional context?

Leninogorsk

Leninogorsk is a city in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, founded in 1795 as a mining settlement. It was historically significant for its oil production, which began in the 1940s and led to its renaming in honor of Vladimir Lenin in 1955. Today, it remains an important center for the oil industry in the Volga-Ural region.

Vakhitovsky

Vakhitovsky is a central district in the city of Kazan, Russia, historically known for its significance as a cultural and administrative hub. The area is named after the Tatar Bolshevik revolutionary Maksud Vakhitov and encompasses key landmarks like the Kazan Kremlin, which has origins dating back to the medieval period of the Khanate of Kazan.

Novo-Savinovsky

Novo-Savinovsky is a large residential district (microraion) in Kazan, Russia, primarily constructed during the Soviet era in the 1960s and 1970s as part of a major urban expansion. It is characterized by its numerous standardized panel-built apartment blocks (Khrushchyovkas) designed to provide housing for the city’s growing population.