On Topical Problems of the Modern School: Teachers’ Opinion in the Kostroma Region

This article presents the findings of a survey among school teachers conducted in Kostroma between April and May 2024. The objective of the study was to ascertain the level of satisfaction with their profession among teachers and to identify the most significant challenges they face in their work. The concerns expressed by the respondents could be grouped into the following categories: low income and low salaries, excessive teaching workload and a lack of free time; insufficient material and technical resources in schools in the region; and weak moral incentives for teachers. The results of the survey indicate that, in addition to financial concerns, teachers are also dissatisfied with the decline in their authority and status within society. Furthermore, the survey demonstrated that the material aspect is a significant but not a primary source of discontent among teachers. Their social status, which does not align with their qualifications, is a notable concern. It is also important that in underprivileged regions, the shortage of personnel has intensified, particularly in mathematics and the Russian language. Based on statistical data, media reports, and field observations, there seems to be a reluctance among young individuals to pursue careers in education. The teachers who participated in the survey reached a unanimous consensus on the necessity of implementing measures to enhance the material well-being of educators, upgrade the material and technical infrastructure of educational institutions, and reinstate the esteemed status of teaching professionals in society.