The head or director is the main administrative person of education institution. He is responsible for the operation and results of the institution, implementation of education legislation, and effective usage of various resources. However, there is other administrative staff (like assistant or deputy directors) providing assistance in administration and management of the school.
The head of institution decides singly how to utilize intellectual, financial and material resources of education institution and determines salaries of school staff to be no less than fixed by the Cabinet of Ministers.
He is obliged to ensure the establishment of institution's self-government, if it is proposed by pupils, their parents or teachers.
Requirements for appointment
Any person with appropriate education and professional qualification may work as head of education institution. In the case of pamatskola (integrated primary and lower-secondary) and general upper-secondary education institutions, one must have higher pedagogical education, or higher and pedagogical education. It is also possible to have higher education and be still acquiring pedagogical education.
The head of pre-school education institution is required to have a degree in higher education in pedagogy and a pre-school teacher qualification.
Conditions of service
Recruitment, also firing, of school heads is the responsibility of municipality. The amount of pedagogical work for school heads and their assistants is reduced and may not exceed 12 teaching periods per week (approximately one half of a teacher workload).
According to recent amendment of the Education Law, the Cabinet of Ministers defines procedure and criteria for professional activity evaluation of heads of education institutions (except higher education institutions and colleges). In 2016, the State Service for Education Quality has developed the procedure of professional activity evaluation and quality indicators’ system for heads of education institutions. The evaluation results are linked to remuneration amount.
Other service conditions are similar to those of teachers.