Why is the gender ratio of teachers imbalanced?

Women are strongly over-represented among teachers. The share of female teachers is highest in primary schools and decreases with increasing level of education. Only among tertiary teachers is the share of women slightly lower than the share of men.
There are several reasons behind the high share of female teachers. Lingering gender stereotypes contribute to the perception of teaching as a female profession. Flexible working arrangements for teachers are attractive for working mothers, while differences in relative wages between men and women make teaching financially less appealing to men than to women. Improving the recognition of the importance of teaching to society, including by compensating teachers adequately, could attract and retain good teachers regardless of gender.