Certification of part-time and multi-position teachers: regulatory highlights and practical examples for communities

«Does a teacher perform several ‘professional roles’ at a time? Explanation of the certification rules for each of these roles»

Local governments and educational institutions often have practical questions about how to properly certify teaching staff who hold multiple positions or work part-time. This has become one of the most common personnel issues in communities, as correctly applying legislation is key to ensuring the legitimacy of decisions made by attestation commissions and compliance with teachers’ labour rights.

1. Regulatory framework

The basic norm is set out in Part 5 of Article 50 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On Education’, which states that teaching staff certification is conducted to confirm or assign a qualification category and teaching title, and to establish suitability for the position held.

The certification procedure is set out in the Regulations on the Certification of Teaching Staff, approved by Order No. 805 of the Ministry of Education and Science on 9 September 2022 (amended on 10 September 2024). The Regulations apply to all teaching staff whose positions are on the List of Teaching and Scientific-Teaching Staff Positions, approved by Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 963 on 14 June 2000.

Based on the results of the certification, and regardless of teaching load, the certification commission makes a decision on:

• determination of suitability or unsuitability for the position held;

• assignment, confirmation, reduction or deprivation of qualification category;

• assignment or deprivation of pedagogical title.

2. One teaching position at different institutions and part-time work

The Regulation sets out separate rules for employees who teach more than one subject and/or work in more than one educational institution.

Firstly, teaching staff who teach more than one subject are certified in the subject they teach in their speciality or in their position in accordance with their employment contract.

Secondly, teaching staff who teach the same subject, or who are in the same position, at different educational institutions are certified at their main place of work. The certification results in this case apply to the entire teaching load at each place of work.

Therefore, if a teacher is employed full-time at one institution and works part-time at another, they undergo a single certification at their primary place of employment. The results of this certification apply to their entire teaching load in that position.

3. Different teaching positions: separate assessments

Another situation arises when a teacher holds different teaching positions. The regulation clearly states that teachers in this situation (in particular, principals, their deputies, and other employees who teach subjects or perform other teaching duties) must be certified for each position.

The same position is reflected in the explanation provided by the Ministry of Education and Science: if a teacher holds different positions within the same educational institution, or within different institutions, they must be certified for each position separately.

Therefore, if an employee is both a teacher and an educational organiser, for example, they must undergo two separate certification procedures: one for each position. The qualification category assigned to the role of teacher does not automatically transfer to the role of educational organiser, and vice versa.

4. Several subjects within one position: how the category is applied

The key practice-related provision is that the assigned qualification category (or pedagogical title) applies to the employee's entire teaching workload.

Regulations ‘On Certification of Teaching Staff’:

• teachers who are responsible for several subjects are certified in their speciality or position in accordance with their employment contract;

• after a category has been assigned, it applies to the entire teaching load – that is, to all subjects taught within the same teaching position – but is subject to the requirement for professional development.

Therefore, if subject hours for which there was no certification are added during the inter-certification period, the category is not cancelled or reduced. A necessary condition is that professional development takes place in the subjects (integrated courses, disciplines and types of activity) to which the assigned (confirmed) qualification category applies, and which form part of the educational programme of the educational institution.

The clarification from the Ministry of Education and Science (Letter No. 1/4619-25, of 06 February 2025, ‘On Certification of Teaching Staff in the 2024/2025 Academic Year’) specifically states that if a teacher is assigned teaching hours for subjects in which they have not previously been certified during the inter-certification period, the qualification category (teaching title) assigned to them shall apply to their entire teaching load until the next certification.  In practice, this means that, to keep the category valid, the teacher must plan to improve their qualifications in all subjects in their workload.

5. The role of the head of the institution and the education management body

The issue of concurrent employment is directly related to accounting for teaching loads and ensuring that teachers are included in the lists of individuals subject to regular certification in a timely manner. The school principal plays a key role in this process, as they are responsible for preparing the lists of teaching staff subject to regular certification and submitting them to the relevant certification commission. In the context of concurrent employment, this means that the heads of all institutions where a teacher works must accurately record their teaching load. However, in such cases, certification is carried out at the main place of work if the position is the same.

For communities, these are not just ‘technical’ personnel nuances. The transparency and fairness of the decisions of certification commissions, the stability of personnel policy in education, and the trust of teachers in local governments depend on the accurate application of these rules.

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