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The peaceful sit-ins by teachers and education support personnel in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar are drawing national attention and growing solidarity from other sectors, such as the railway sector workers who have joined the protest in solidarity. Backed by the public strong support, the Federation of Mongolian Education and Science Unions (FMESU) voiced educators’ demands at a recent meeting with public authorities, urging the government to prioritize investment in teachers and the education sector.

“Teachers are unable to make ends meet with the current salary. We face rising inflation, unaffordable housing, and heavy workload that extends far beyond teaching. We are on call around the clock constantly responding to parents and students’ inquiries. Meanwhile, our school infrastructure is deteriorating, and we are expected to manage without proper support. In addition, our population has grown increasingly diverse, requiring even more attention and tailored approaches. Yet the resources simply are not there,” explained one of the demonstrators.

On October 8th, 2025, Prime Minister G. Zandanshatar, Minister of Education P. Naranbayar, and Minister of Finance B. Javkhlan met with representatives of FMESU. During the meeting, the Prime Minister provided information on the economic situation and budget for 2026. He went on to say that the 2026 national budget includes a doubling of investment in the education sector, along with an increase of 100 billion tugriks in variable costs. He also stated that salary increases would be possible by bringing the Bortee (coal mining site) deposit into economic circulation. A draft resolution on this matter has been submitted to the Parliament.

Minister of Education P. Naranbayar emphasized that raising the basic salary alone would require 3.3 trillion tugriks annually, an amount currently beyond the state’s fiscal capacity. The Prime Minister has instructed the Minister of Finance, B. Javkhla to study the possibility of increasing the basic salary of teachers in phases, aiming to reach a basic salary of 3.5 million tugriks by 2028. The initial phase would raise salaries to 1.85 million tugriks in January 2026, followed by 2.5 million in the second half of the year 2026.

The Federation has rejected the proposal citing the urgency of the situation and the inadequacy of the offer. The union has initiated a collective dispute under Article 148.2 of the Labor Code, appointed a mediator, accepted the mediator’s conclusion and formally submitted a strike notice.

News outlets continue to cover the sit-ins and interviews with teachers and education support personnel participating in the sit-ins. Meanwhile, the federation and the Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions (CMTU) are actively sharing the latest developments in real time via their official Facebook pages.

Currently, a teacher earns a basic salary of no more than 1.4 million tugriks, less than half the 3.5 million tugriks earned by public bus drivers. Many teachers have voiced frustration over the disparity and the lack of government support for safe and sustainable school infrastructure.

Among the demonstrators are 20 teachers from Orkhon Aimag. Ts. Dolgormaa, a kindergarten teacher with 32 years of experience shared: “The Minister of Finance tells us to save and be mindful. I ask what the government and the Parliament members are doing to save? Maybe we should start with them?”

The public has shown strong support for teachers’ demand, urging the government to prioritize investment in teachers and the education sector.

FMESU remains firm in its demands for immediate and meaningful action to improve the livelihoods of teachers and education support personnel across Mongolia.