Ruling parties refuse to top-up missing funds for schools at present

The ruling parties have refused to top-up missing funds for schools which lack money for non-teaching staff, teachers unions reported after a meeting with members of the cabinet on Tuesday. Due to the government’s austerity measures, there is a shortfall of roughly CZK 800 million to cover the salaries of roughly 2, 000 non-teaching employees in schools around the country. Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura said there would be no extra funds for the time being, but promised that the cabinet would discuss a possible budget increase in mid-2024. Many schools say the funds are essential for their operation and have threatened strike action.