AZE.US
About 12,000 preschool teachers in Azerbaijan are expected to undergo certification in November, beginning with a test and followed by an interview.
Ashki Baghirov, director of the State Agency for Preschool and General Education, outlined the certification process and other changes planned for the education system.
Test and Interview
Preschool teachers will be certified under the same two-stage model used for schoolteachers. Participants will receive invitations in advance and must be notified no later than one month before the assessment. The process is expected to be completed during November.
Specialized and Remote Education
Another 90 schools are joining Azerbaijan’s specialized education model. The agency said it received about 16,000 applications from parents and that classes at those schools have already begun.
Remote learning has also been introduced at 48 schools in isolated villages, up from eight a year earlier. The program covers about 1,200 students and is used where schools cannot secure teachers, adequate infrastructure or accessible student transportation.
Full-Time Teaching Positions
Azerbaijan plans to begin selecting teachers for full-time positions in 2027. Priority will be given to educators with strong certification results and the required professional skills. Authorities previously announced plans to create 20,000 such positions in stages.
Baghirov said even high-performing teachers currently receive only six or 12 teaching hours in some cases. The new model would deepen their connection with individual schools through responsibilities such as analyzing performance, helping struggling students and communicating with parents.
About 3,000 positions remained vacant after the main stages of the teacher recruitment competition, while nearly 6,000 candidates had already started work. Hiring continues, particularly for schools in remote areas.