A new report reveals that most OECD education systems are grappling with significant teacher shortages, creating considerable pressure. These recruitment challenges are particularly acute in critical subjects such as mathematics and science. Moreover, rural, remote, and disadvantaged communities struggle most to attract qualified educators.
The OECD’s annual ‘Education at a Glance 2026’ report focuses on this pressing issue. An aging teaching workforce will soon exacerbate these existing pressures. “It is becoming harder to recruit, retain, and deploy qualified teachers where they are most needed,” stated Secretary-General Mathias Cormann upon the report’s launch. Therefore, school systems must plan proactively.
Officials need to retain current teachers and cultivate a strong pipeline of new educators. Crucially, they must maintain high standards. Official vacancy numbers, however, tell only part of the story. In fact, unfilled posts accounted for less than four per cent of the combined primary and secondary teaching workforce in most systems with available data for 2024-25.
Nonetheless, teacher shortages often concentrate in specific subjects, schools, and regions. For example, 11 out of 16 countries reported shortfalls of fully qualified mathematics and science teachers at secondary level. Qualifications present a particular hurdle; nine per cent of primary and secondary teachers across OECD countries were not fully qualified in the 2024-25 school year.
This figure soared above 18 per cent in nations like Chile, Denmark, Estonia, and Germany. By contrast, Japan and Korea mandate full qualifications before entry into the profession. An additional concern is the demographic shift, as one in four secondary teachers across the OECD is aged 55 or older, intensifying future recruitment needs.
Teachers express job satisfaction, with 85 per cent reporting contentment. Yet, only 22 per cent feel teaching is valued by society. Pay certainly plays a role; teachers earn between 87 per cent and 95 per cent of other tertiary-educated workers’ salaries on average. Starting salaries for lower secondary teachers are even lower, averaging 61 per cent of similarly educated peers.
However, pay is not the sole factor in recruitment and retention. Manageable workloads, professional autonomy, effective school leadership, career development opportunities, and public recognition also enhance teaching’s appeal. Furthermore, these teacher shortages reflect broader skilled worker deficits across the economy, as education systems compete with other sectors for talent.
Education systems can implement strategies to address these shortfalls. They should make better use of existing teaching capacity and broaden pathways into the profession while upholding standards. Technology, including artificial intelligence, can also reduce administrative burdens. Specialized support staff can likewise free up teachers to focus on instruction, student support, and professional growth.
Finally, demographic change offers a distinct opportunity. The number of children aged 5-14 is projected to decrease by nine per cent across the OECD between 2024 and 2033. This decline, though uneven, allows policymakers to strategically reallocate teachers and resources. They can direct these vital assets to schools, subjects, and communities where teacher shortages are most acute.
