According to a UNESCO report published in October, the world needs 69 million teachers in order to achieve universal basic education by 2023.
Europe as a whole is worried about the teacher shortages, according to AFP. In light of widespread dissatisfaction in the field, which has been exacerbated by COVID, France, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, and Italy are all having trouble finding teachers.
Despite the fact that there are currently 4,000 open teaching positions in France, national estimates indicate that there will be a shortage of 25,000 teachers in Germany by 2025 and 30,000 in Portugal by 2030.
The COVID pandemic, in Eric Charbonnier’s opinion, gave the teaching profession “visibility” and brought up problems with its appeal. Eric Charbonnier is an education expert at the OECD. Others, however, have made alternative arguments.
The University of Bordeaux’s Régis Malet, a professor of education, claimed that shortages were brought on by “the low level of wages, particularly in France, but also the deterioration of working conditions, status, and [a] more symbolic dimension strongly felt… about a lack of consideration [and] recognition.”
He continued, “Teaching has changed from a profession with high added social value and prestige to a state of mission uncertainty, meaninglessness, and ultimately dissonance between the school and life.
The Ministry of Education in France delayed the deadline for submitting applications to become a teacher for the 2023 academic year due to unprecedented difficulties in finding applicants.
The attractiveness of the teaching profession is “a general problem… regardless of the salary level,” according to a report presented in June by French Senator Gérard Longuet. According to Charbonnier, mass retirements are also expected in Germany, Portugal, Sweden, and Italy, which will make the teacher shortage worse.
The OECD reports that 60% of primary school teachers in Italy, 37% in Germany, 42% in Portugal, 36% in Sweden, and 23% in France are over 50.
But teacher shortages are a global issue, not just in Europe. From the United States (US) to Niger in Africa, finding and keeping educators is a problem. According to a UNESCO report published in October, the world needs 69 million teachers in order to achieve universal basic education by 2023.
In sub-Saharan Africa, there are typically 56 primary school students and 55 secondary school students for every qualified teacher, according to Borhene Chakroun, Director of Policies and Systems of Education at UNESCO.
He claims that in order to keep up with population growth, Chad and Niger will need “more than double” the number of primary school teachers by 2030.
By 2030, 16.5 million teachers will be needed in this part of Africa, and Chakroun claims that recruitment efforts are “below current and projected needs.” The world’s wealthier nations are also affected.
Charbonnier claims that the crisis in the US is “unprecedented.” The nation had “never experienced such a serious situation,” according to The Washington Post, which reported a “catastrophic shortage” of teachers at the end of August.
Nevertheless, some contend that these issues with hiring can be resolved. Teacher shortages are “not inevitable,” says Charbonnier, despite being “a matter of concern on which action must be taken.” He continues, “Finland, South Korea, or Ireland are doing well because of proactive policies with a value placed on the profession by society.