Glossary

Education levels and programmes

The Eurydice–OECD joint data collection on teachers’ and school heads’ salaries and allowances covers pre-primary, primary and secondary education (lower and upper). The definitions used are those set down in the 2011 International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) (25). At the secondary level, only teachers and school heads working for general programmes are within the scope of the data collection. The other education levels are used to describe the qualification requirements set by the top-level  authority for teachers and school-heads.

Pre - primary education (ISCED 02)

Programmes at this level are typically designed with a comprehensive approach, to support young children’s early cognitive, physical, social and emotional development and to introduce them to  organized instruction outside the family context. These programmes must have an intentional education component. Pre-primary education (ISCED level 02) is designed for children aged at least 3 years.

Primary education (ISCED 1)

Programmes at this level are typically designed to provide students with fundamental skills in reading, writing and mathematics (i.e. literacy and numeracy), and to establish a solid foundation for the learning and understanding of core areas of knowledge in preparation for lower secondary education. They also seek to promote children’s personal and social development. Age is typically the only entry requirement at this level. The customary or legal age of entry is usually between 5 and 7 years old. This level typically lasts 6 years, although its duration can range between 4 and 7 years, depending on the country.

Lower secondary education (ISCED 2)

Programmes at the lower-secondary level are typically designed to build on the learning outcomes from ISCED level 1. Students typically enter ISCED level 2 between the ages of 10 and 13 (age 12 being the most common). The ISCED designator 24 denotes general lower secondary education. Upper secondary education (ISCED 3). Programmes at the upper secondary level are typically designed to complete secondary education in preparation for tertiary education or to provide skills relevant to employment, or both. Pupils typically enter this level between the ages of 14 and 16. The ISCED designator 34 denotes general upper secondary education.

Post - secondary non - tertiary education (ISCED 4)

Programmes at post-secondary non-tertiary education are typically designed to provide individuals who completed ISCED level 3 with non-tertiary qualifications required for progression to tertiary education, or for employment when their ISCED level 3 qualification does not grant such access. (25) Available at http://uis.unesco.org/en/topic/international-standard-classification-education-isced (accessed 2.5.2023).

Short - cycle tertiary education (ISCED 5)

Short-cycle tertiary education programmes are practically based, occupationally specific and prepare students to enter the labour market. However, these programmes may also provide a pathway to other tertiary education programmes.

Bachelor’s or equivalent level (ISCED 6)

Bachelor’s or equivalent level are often designed to provide participants with intermediate academic and/or professional knowledge, skills and competencies, leading to a first degree or equivalent qualification. Programmes at this level are typically theoretically based, but may include practical components, and are informed by state-of-the-art research and/or best professional practice. They are traditionally offered by universities and equivalent tertiary educational institutions.

Master’s or equivalent level (ISCED 7)

Master’s or equivalent level are often designed to provide participants with advanced academic and/or professional knowledge, skills and competencies, leading to a second degree or equivalent qualification. Programmes at this level may have a substantial research component but do not yet lead to the award of a doctoral qualification. Typically, programmes at this level are theoretically based, but may include practical components, and are informed by state-of-the-art research and/or best professional practice. They are traditionally offered by universities and other tertiary educational institutions.

Doctoral or equivalent level (ISCED 8)

Programmes at ISCED level 8, or doctoral or equivalent level, are designed primarily to lead to an advanced research qualification. Programmes at this ISCED level are devoted to advanced study and original research and are typically offered only by research-oriented tertiary educational institutions such as universities. Doctoral programmes exist in both academic and professional fields. ISCED level 8 usually concludes with the submission and defence of a thesis, dissertation or equivalent written work of publishable quality, representing a significant contribution to knowledge in the respective field of study. Therefore, these programmes are typically based on research and not only on course work.

Decision-making levels

Top - level authorities

These refer to all government bodies at the national (state) level that make or participate in different aspects of decision-making. In ‘federal’ countries, or countries with a similar type of government structure, they refer to the first level of territorial authority immediately below the national level. The highest level of authority with responsibility for education in a given country is usually located at the national (state) level. However, for Belgium, Germany and Spain, the communautés, Länder and comunidades autónomas, respectively, are responsible for all or most areas relating to education. Therefore, these administrations are considered the top-level authority for the areas where they hold the responsibility, while for the areas where they share the responsibility with the national (state) level, both are considered to be top-level authorities.

Provincial/regional/sub - regional/inter-municipal authorities or governments

These refer to the first level of territorial authority immediately below the national level in countries that do not have a ‘federal’ or similar type of governmental structure, and they refer to the second level of territorial authority below the national government in countries with a ‘federal’ or similar type of governmental structure.

Local government/authorities/municipalities

These refer to the lowest level of territorial authority in a nation. The local authority in terms of education may be the education department within a general-purpose local government or a special purpose local government body where the sole area of responsibility is education.

School - level authorities

These refer to the decision-making bodies located within the school, which could be: (1) an external school board, which includes residents of the wider community; (2) an internal school board, which could include school heads, teachers, other school staff, parents and students; and (3) both an external and an internal school board. ‘School networks’, ‘networks of schools’, ‘didactic circles’ and ‘groups of schools’ or ‘school clusters’ are considered as school-level authorities. Parents and teachers should be considered as one element of the school level, rather than a separate level. The school level also includes any individual employee (e.g. a teacher) in the school who is allowed to take decisions.

More than one authority level

This refers to a combination of two or more of the abovementioned authorities (e.g. central government and local authorities).

Collective agreements

These refer to collective agreements adopted by the relevant stakeholders when they are the only instrument used to determine teachers’ and school heads’ compensations.

Public and private schools

This data collection focuses on the salaries of teachers and school heads in public educational institutions. However, in a few countries, the reported salaries may also apply to government-dependent private schools. According to the 2016 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, OECD and Eurostat (UOE) manual for the data collection on education systems, an education institution is classified as public or private depending on whether it is under the overall control of a public or private body.

Public institutions

An institution is classified as public if it is controlled and managed directly by a public education authority or agency; or controlled and managed either by a government agency directly or by a governing body (council, committee, etc.), the majority of the members of which are either appointed by a public authority or elected by the public.

Private institutions

An institution is classified as private if it is controlled and managed by a non-governmental organization (e.g. a church, a trade union or a business enterprise, a foreign or international agency), or its governing board consists mostly of members not appointed by a public agency. The terms ‘government dependent’ and ‘independent’ refer only to the degree of a private institution’s dependence on funding from government sources; they do not refer to the degree of government direction or regulation. A government-dependent private institution is one that either receives at least 50 % of its core funding from government agencies or one where its teaching staff are paid by a government agency – either directly or through the government. An independent private institution is one that receives less than 50 % of its core funding from government agencies and whose teaching staff are not paid by a government agency.

Teachers and school heads

This data collection covers fully qualified, full-time teachers and school heads. Part-time teachers and those that are not yet fully qualified are beyond the scope of the study.

Fully qualified, full - time teacher

Fully qualified teachers are those who have fulfilled all the training requirements for teaching (one or more subjects) and meet all other official requirements (e.g. probation period). Their professional tasks involve the planning, organization and delivery of group or individual activities for a class of students  with respect to the development of their knowledge, skills and attitudes. The designation ‘full-time teacher’ is usually based on statutory working hours, as opposed to actual total working time or actual teaching time. A teacher employed for at least 90 % of the normal or statutory number of hours of work for a full-time employee over a complete school year is considered as a full-time teacher in the context of this survey.

School head

The term school head refers to any person whose primary or major function is heading a school or a group of schools alone or within an administrative body such as a board or council. The school head is the primary leader responsible for the leadership, management and administration of the school. Depending on circumstances, school heads may exercise educational responsibilities (which may include teaching tasks, but also responsibility for the general functioning of the institution in areas such as the timetable, implementation of the curriculum, decisions about what is to be taught and the materials and methods used). They may also have, to a varying degree, other administrative, staffmanagement and financial responsibilities.

Statutory salary

The annual statutory salary is the sum of the gross wages paid to full-time, fully qualified teachers or school heads according to statutorily defined salary ranges. It includes any additional payments that all teachers or school heads receive and that constitute a regular part of the annual base salary such as the 13th month and holiday pay (where applicable) or, in the case of school heads, the allowance received by all school heads for managing the school. This gross amount excludes the employer’s social security and pension contributions, but includes those paid by employees.

Salary range for teachers

This indicates the salary that full-time, fully qualified teachers can expect to receive, depending on the number of years that they have been in service. Progression in the salary range may also be linked to the fulfilment of certain conditions, such as a positive evaluation in the performance review / appraisal process. Salary scales are statutorily defined either in regulations or agreements between stakeholders. Data for this survey are collected at four points on the salary range: • starting salary, • salary after 10 years of experience, • salary after 15 years of experience, and • salary at the top of the range. The salary range applies to teachers who hold the minimum qualification required to enter the teaching profession in the reference year. In education systems where the largest proportion of teachers hold a higher qualification than the minimum that is associated with a different salary range, the information on this pay range is also collected.

Salary range for school heads

This indicates the range of pay received by school heads (working full-time) with the minimum qualification required to manage a school. Salary scales are statutorily defined either in regulations or agreements between stakeholders. Data are collected for the minimum and maximum points of the salary range applicable to school heads. Salary progression may depend on various criteria, such as experience, performance, nature and number of responsibilities, and school characteristics. The reported salaries of school heads may consist of the statutory teacher salary plus a management allowance, or there may be a distinct statutory salary range for school. In education systems where the salary range changes with the type of school (e.g. number of students or classes, geographic location, offer of special programmes or differentiated teaching), the data refer to the scales with the lowest and highest minimum salaries. Where there is a different salary scale that applies to the largest proportion of school heads, these data are also collected.

Actual salary

This refers to the weighted average gross annual salary actually received by all teachers or school heads within the 24–65 age range at a specific education level, including the statutory salary and other additional payments. This amount excludes the employer’s social security and pension contributions but includes those paid by the employees. The additional payments refer to bonuses and allowances that teachers may be awarded in addition to their basic salary set according to their educational qualifications and experience. Actual salary data can be drawn from national administrative registers, statistical databases, representative sample surveys or other representative sources.

Allowances

In the context of this report, ‘allowances’ refers to the various forms of regular or exceptional payments that may be provided in addition to the statutory salary. This report takes into consideration three main categories, as listed below.

Additional responsibilities

Activities that might be carried out by teachers/school heads as distinct from those specified in their contract, which can include the following:

• Managerial activities (e.g. serving as head of department or teacher coordinator). For school heads, responsibilities for leadership, management, administration, etc. are not regarded as additional responsibilities.
• Teaching more classes or working more hours than required by the full-time contract of employment or in the conditions of service (overtime payments)
• Student counselling after classes, including student supervision, virtual counselling, career guidance and behavioural support
• Running extra-curricular activities (e.g. sports, homework clubs, out-of-school workshops, visits to museums, drama clubs, summer schools).
• Training student teachers and providing support to other teachers
• Acting as a form tutor or teacher
• Participation in mentoring programmes and/or supporting new teachers in induction programmes.

Teachers’ qualifications, training and performance

• Further formal qualifications

Further formal qualifications may include any postgraduate qualifications obtained beyond the minimum qualification needed to become a teacher at the specific level of education (e.g. master’s degree, PhD degree).

• Further continuing professional development qualifications

These include formal and non-formal continuing professional development activities that may, for example, include subject-based and pedagogical training, training in the use of ICT for teaching and developing new teaching materials. In certain cases, these activities may lead to additional qualifications.

• Outstanding performance

Teachers and school heads may be appraised on the quality of their work (teaching or managing) through internal or external evaluation procedures or on the basis of the results obtained by their students in different types of examinations.

Teaching conditions

• Geographical location

Location allowances are often used as incentives to encourage teachers to accept posts in remote or rural areas and in socially disadvantaged ones. Also included in this category are the allowances given for working in regions such as capital cities, where the cost of living is above the average.

• Special educational needs or challenging circumstances

Allowances are provided for teachers who teach students with special educational needs integrated within mainstream classes and pupils with learning difficulties, language problems, and those from an immigrant background, etc. In the case of school heads, these activities also include tasks designed to coordinate and support specific groups of students.

Terminology

• HICP

 

The harmonised index of consumer prices, abbreviated as HICP, is the consumer price index as it is calculated in the European Union (EU), according to a harmonised approach and a single set of definitions. It is mainly used to measure inflation.

• PPS

The purchasing power standard, abbreviated as PPS, is an artificial currency unit. Theoretically, one PPS can buy the same amount of goods and services in each country. However, price differences across borders mean that different amounts of national currency units are needed for the same goods and services depending on the country. PPS are derived by dividing any economic aggregate of a country in national currency by its respective purchasing power parities.

PPS is the technical term used by Eurostat for the common currency in which national accounts aggregates are expressed when adjusted for price level differences using PPPs. Thus, PPPs can be interpreted as the exchange rate of the PPS against the euro.

• GDP

Gross domestic product, abbreviated as GDP, is a basic measure of the overall size of a country's economy.

As an aggregate measure of production, GDP is equal to the sum of the gross value added of all resident institutional units engaged in production, plus any taxes on products and minus any subsidies on products. Gross value added is the difference between output and intermediate consumption.

 

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