The UNESCO Institute for Statistics and the International Task Force on Teachers, in a report published for World Teachers' Day on October 5, 2026, highlighted a number of interesting details. The main point is as follows: to ensure universal access to pre-primary, primary, and secondary education, an additional 50 million teachers need to be recruited by 2030. According to UNESCO, there are currently about 107 million teachers on the planet.
Why is there such a shortage of teachers?
The problem lies not only in preparing new teachers, but also in retaining those who have already qualified. According to a UNESCO study, the attrition rate varies depending on the level of education:
- In preschool education it is 7.2%,
- In secondary education — 5.4%,
- In primary education — 4.7%.
- One of the main factors influencing the decision to stay in the profession is public attitude toward teachers. In 75% of the countries participating in the OECD TALIS 2024 study, fewer than 40% of teachers believed that society values their work. At the same time, teachers who feel respected in their profession are more than 10% less likely to consider leaving within the next five years. This data shows that the social status of teachers is linked not only to the prestige of the profession, but also to the ability to retain qualified specialists within the education system.
- The study also revealed differences in pay, comparing teachers with specialists in other professions with a comparable level of qualification. Overall, in two out of five cases (out of the 68 countries studied), teachers' salaries are lower than the earnings of specialists with comparable qualifications at all (!) levels of education.
- Another problem is workload. On average, teachers spend about 19 hours a week in the classroom, yet their total working time reaches around 60 hours: a great deal of time is taken up by lesson preparation, grading, and administrative duties (which, incidentally, are not always compensated!).
- The teacher-to-student ratio also leaves much to be desired. In primary school, there are on average 28 students per teacher. This is the highest ratio among all the levels of education examined in the study.
What changes are being proposed?
In the report accompanying the study, UNESCO offers recommendations for education ministries and organizations. These include:
- Active participation of teachers in the development of education policy as a whole, including reforms and innovations,
- Clear, logical educational standards,
- Obvious and well-defined career paths,
- Raising salaries so that they are competitive in the labor market,
- For schools facing the most significant staff shortages, additional incentives need to be developed: financial, administrative, and motivational,
- Less administrative, «paperwork» burden — the focus should be on teaching children, not on filling out endless metrics and reports,
- A safe and supportive working environment, with no tolerance for arbitrary treatment or bullying (including from students), and legal protection.
In short, this is about an overall increase in the prestige, safety, and comfort of the teaching profession.
Thus, UNESCO, in cooperation with the International Labour Organization, has begun a revision of the 1966 Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. Additionally, current research priorities include the educational situation in African countries, the implementation of digital technologies (including artificial intelligence), inclusive education, and gender equality.
Every student has the right to a well-prepared, supported, and motivated teacher, but this can only be achieved if society recognizes the value of teachers' work.
