The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage

Presentation by Mr Carlos Vargas, Chief of the Section for Teacher Development, UNESCO, and Head of the Teacher Task Force Secretariat, at the online workshop Global pathways to an attractive teaching profession, that was held on 6th October 2023 on the occasion of World Teachers' Day celebrations. The workshop, co-convened by the Teacher Task Force and UNESCO, explored national and regional policy responses and programmes to improve the appeal of the teaching profession in response to the global shortage on teachers.

The presentation highlights that teacher recruitment targets are off track for universal primary and secondary education to be met in 2030, and that improving the attractiveness of the profession requires holistic teacher policies that tackle the root causes of the increasing disinterest in the teaching profession, such as competitive remuneration, the promotion of trust and respect for the profession, and ensuring a better work-life balance.