Low teacher salaries compared to other professions is just one of the factors contributing to the shortage of teaching staff in various countries. According to an analysis by researchers from the United Kingdom, popular quick-fix strategies, such as scholarship programs, do not work in the long term. Therefore, it is necessary not only to increase salaries but also to build the prestige of the teaching profession so that those with the potential to pursue this career are not deterred.
“There is a connection between salary levels and teacher shortages, but it is not entirely straightforward. The most important factor is the salary and earnings of other professions that require higher education and are available to potential teacher candidates. It’s not strictly about the salary level of teachers, but how it compares to other fields. It may be an oversimplification, but if students from fields such as humanities, law, sports, or sciences can secure jobs with higher pay and salary increases, this will contribute to teacher shortages, as there will be people who could become teachers but will choose other professions,” says Professor Stephen Gorard, director of the Evidence Centre for Education at Durham University, in an interview with Newseria.
An analysis titled “What are the key predictors of international teacher shortages?” conducted by Professor Gorard’s team, based on data from 18 different countries worldwide, reveals that despite heavy investments in recruitment and teacher retention, 35 out of 43 education systems in Europe are experiencing teacher shortages. International organizations, such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), have called for urgent action on this issue. The analysis by scientists from the universities of Durham, Warwick, and Birmingham indicates that the economic aspect in shaping teacher shortages must be understood more broadly than just low salaries.
“The key elements are those that influence the reputation or prestige of the teaching profession in society. This is a broad term that encompasses many aspects, such as how teachers are portrayed in the media and literature. However, it is crucial whether we can control instances of teachers being insulted and demeaned by students,” explains Professor Stephen Gorard.
The problem is also the low status of the teaching profession in the eyes of the public. Research cited in the publication “Research Papers in Education” shows that only 25% of teachers in England feel that they are valued by society, and 10% feel that policymakers appreciate them. The United Kingdom is also a country severely affected by teacher shortages. In contrast, countries where teachers are more appreciated by the government and the public generally do not report persistent or large teacher shortages. In Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and China (Shanghai), over 70% of teachers indicated that teaching was their first career choice. However, being appreciated may not be enough to motivate individuals to pursue this career path. Finland, for example, although valuing the teaching profession, sees only slightly over half of teachers indicating that teaching was their first career choice.
There are various ideas on how to encourage university graduates to choose a teaching career. The UK government has been using a scholarship and subsidy program for years to attract graduates from fields with a shortage of professionals. According to various researchers, increasing the supply of teachers will not be successful without significant salary increases—potentially up to 50%. However, even this won’t guarantee optimal employment if the profession does not gain more prestige.
“Internal motivation is essential. Many people teach because they want to serve their local community. Sometimes, motivational incentives such as financial bonuses or rewards for new employees and at the end of employment are applied. Often, individuals in specific fields, such as science subjects, physics, or mathematics, are given financial incentives to study pedagogy. This method is not particularly effective. When the extra incentives run out, the turnover rates for these individuals are at least as high as those who did not receive any motivational bonuses. You cannot tie someone to the teaching profession solely with motivational incentives—there’s no doubt about that,” assesses the expert. “Another issue is whether those primarily motivated by money should be teachers and be responsible for educating children. This is not an argument against higher salaries for teachers, as they should receive compensation appropriate to their specialist qualifications. However, using short-term and discriminatory motivational programs does not yield the expected results. Money allocated for motivational programs is better spent on overall salary increases for teachers.”
A serious problem is also teachers leaving the profession. According to Professor Gorard’s analysis, factors such as stress, job satisfaction, and a lack of work-life balance have a crucial impact on this issue. Workload is often cited as a major factor in various studies. According to the OECD, English language teachers have an excessively high workload, especially when it comes to time spent on tasks not directly related to teaching.
“When the hours stated in teachers’ contracts are longer, the likelihood of teacher shortages is lower. It’s not just about working hours, but about teaching hours, time spent with students. A high ratio of teaching hours to contractual hours is observed in countries where teacher shortages are present. In other countries, where the ratio of work hours to teaching hours is quite high, allowing teachers time for lesson preparation, grading, etc., the problem is less severe. The prestige and reputation of teachers are partially related to salary, partially to school resources, how they are treated by students and society, and the time spent outside of direct classroom activities,” says the director of the Evidence Centre for Education at Durham University.
In the study, researchers applied a new approach to determine which other factors play a role in countries suffering from teacher shortages.
“Many elements that could potentially impact teacher shortages cannot be easily changed. For example, the population density of a country—teacher shortages occur in areas with lower population density, but not in urban areas with high density. In countries like Singapore, this problem does not occur, and we don’t actually know why. Another factor is the graduate employment rate. In areas with a higher unemployment rate among humanities and other graduates, teacher shortages are lower. However, we do not suggest that graduate unemployment is a desirable situation,” explains the expert.
