Azerbaijan dismisses 9,000 teachers over failed certification scheme

More than 9,000 teachers in Azerbaijan have had their employment contracts terminated after failing a state-mandated certification process, the country's education minister has announced.

Emin Amrullayev, the Minister of Science and Education, said 9,334 teachers were dismissed after failing both attempts of the examinations held between 2022 and 2026.

Speaking at a conference in Baku, Mr Amrullayev said 104,435 teachers had taken part in the scheme over the past four years, meaning almost all eligible educators in the country had participated at least once.

"Approximately one in five teachers is new to the profession," he added.

While thousands lost their jobs, the minister confirmed that the vast majority of participants received salary increases as a result of the programme.

Pay rises were awarded to 91,408 teachers. Of those, 60,818 received an 18% boost, while 30,590 high-performing educators received a 35% raise.

The certification programme, which began in 2022, is designed to evaluate professional standards through a two-stage process consisting of a written test and an interview.

However, the reforms have met with resistance. In 2024, a group of teachers who failed the exam staged a protest outside the Ministry of Science and Education in Baku, demanding reinstatement.

Demonstrators claimed the exams lacked transparency and that they had faced technical difficulties during the testing process.

The ministry has defended the programme, arguing it is essential for assessing professional competency, improving the quality of education, and rewarding high-performing educators.

Supporters among education experts agree, stating that allowing underperforming teachers to remain in classrooms compromises the educational rights of students.

However, critics argue that the evaluation should extend beyond testing. They have called for greater transparency in how questions are designed, better technical facilities, and robust appeals mechanisms.

Some independent analysts have also argued that teacher-training institutions should share the responsibility for poor performance, rather than penalising educators alone.

The certification process is ongoing, with 20,229 teachers scheduled to undergo interviews later this year.