New salary system for museum staff to be introduced in Armenia

ArmInfo.A new salary system for museum employees will be introduced in Armenia. The corresponding decision was made at a government meeting on May 27.

Presenting the project, RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture,  and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan noted that the new system will provide  museum employees with the opportunity to undergo certification,  thereby significantly increasing their salaries. The Minister noted  that increasing the salaries of museum specialists is a targeted  step. Currently, museum specialists perform many functions requiring  high professional qualifications: the preservation of cultural  assets, promotion, accounting, scientific development, exhibition  organization, and educational program implementation. However, their  low salaries negatively impact staff stability, the attraction and  retention of specialists, and the effectiveness of museum operations.

In recent years, museums' responsibilities have expanded  significantly, including digitalization, organizing international  exhibitions, monitoring auctions, and other functions requiring  qualified personnel. Despite the high level of responsibility and  complexity of the work, remuneration in this sector remains  uncompetitive, which creates systemic problems: low interest in  attracting young staff, limited professional growth and training, and  the risk of declining museum management quality. Increasing  remuneration should be viewed not as a purely social measure, but as  a strategic investment aimed at stabilizing the museum system.

The adoption of the draft law will facilitate the implementation of  uniform procedures in the industry, increase the objectivity of  assessment results, and strengthen the effectiveness of human  resource management.

The document also addresses the economic component, primarily with  regard to the growth of tourism.  Significant steps have been taken  in recent years to develop museums; it is enough to recall that the  Law "On Museums" was adopted a couple of years ago. The Minister  recalled the creation of the Museum Development Fund, whose  responsibilities include marketing, souvenir production, and other  activities.  The first batch of souvenirs will go on sale within the  next two months. In this regard, museums will establish retail spaces  where these items will be sold. This applies, in particular, to the  art gallery and history museum, where construction work is expected  to be completed by the end of the year.

The adoption of this legal act will lead to an increase in the  salaries of museum staff, which is aimed at developing the industry  and ensuring a stable personnel policy.