New UN study finds global teacher shortage caused by poor working conditions

Population growth and declining working conditions are creating a severe shortage of teachers across the globe that may lead to a slide in education standards, according to a new global study by two United Nations agencies made public today.

The study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) found that during the 1990s, the number of school-aged children outpaced the growth in the number of teachers worldwide, packing classrooms in some developing countries with as many as 100 students per teacher.

At the same time, the study reveals that declining working conditions and low salaries in the industrialized nations are discouraging new recruits to the profession, creating shortages and threatening to diminish the quality of education at a time when the need for new knowledge and skills is growing dramatically.

The report notes that the number of women teachers increased throughout the decade, but they still remain well under half the total in many countries where the presence of more female teachers could help increase the access of girls to schooling. In addition, women remain under-represented, often severely, in educational management positions, providing further evidence that the "glass ceiling" persists in education.

Developed countries are also facing a difficult future. The teaching force as a whole is ageing, and governments are battling to attract young people to the profession. Research indicates that low salaries may be partly responsible for the lack of new recruits. In donor countries, for example, a teacher with 15 years experience earns an average of $27,525 annually – significantly less than equally qualified professionals in other fields.

UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education John Daniel said the teacher shortages were largely caused by the diminishing status of teachers and a concomitant decline in working conditions. "As a result, we are seeing qualified teachers quit the profession for other work, and potential recruits looking upon teaching as a last resort," he said.

Sally Paxton, ILO Executive Director for Social Dialogue, said the study revealed the first signs of a looming teaching crisis. "At a time when population changes as well as changing knowledge and skills needs are placing new demands on schools and pupils alike, governments and their education partners quickly need to find a way to open meaningful dialogue with teachers and their unions to discuss ways to improve the lot of the world's teachers," she said.