DUSHANBE, October 13, Asia-Plus -- Schools in Tajikistan are experiencing an acute shortages of teachers of the Russian language, chemistry, physics, biology and basic science, Education Minister Abdujabbor Rahmonov remarked at news conference in Dushanbe on October 12. 

According to him, Tajikistan now has 8,946 teaching vacancies. The minister said that the ministry is trying to provide schools in the provinces with sufficient teachers. 

”We plan, beginning October 20, to send the best fifth-year students at the teachers’ training institutes, to the provinces to work with local schools,” the minister said. 

Rahmonov also noted that at present the average monthly wage in the education sector is 64.50 somonis  (US$19.00). According to him, wages of teachers will rise next year and the national budget stipulates an increase in expenditure on education increase from 336 million to one billion somonis.