The new school year has begun with a teacher shortage crisis all over the continent. Not even an attractive pay scale can manage to combat the lack of popularity that this profession has been acquiring over the last few years.
The contribution of teachers can not be ignored. They are responsible not only for teaching programmed subjects but for forming a more sustainable and conscious generation. Shaping the minds of youth, to help turn children into responsible citizens. Teaching is the most influential job. So why the "most beautiful profession in the world," in the words of the Education Minister in France, Pap Ndiaye, is no longer popular?
There was a time when becoming a teacher was the ideal career path. A decent salary, convenient hours of work, and summer holidays. However, in the last years, the work conditions have changed, which led teachers to quit and the increased lack of interest in joining this area.
Teacher salaries rarely reflect the importance of their job. Teachers are paid less now than they were 20 years ago. According to the OECD “Education at a Glance” 2020 report, teachers’ salaries have decreased in a third of countries since 2000. With the 2009 financial crisis, salaries were either frozen or cut all across Europe. With fewer professors, there was an intensification of work for those who didn’t quit. Along with the lack of recognition and the bad public image, often publicized in the media and in politics, it culminates in a precarious situation.
The pandemic situation, with the various restrictions and the fear of contagion, highlighted the already existing problem. In 2020, there was a marked decrease in the number of professors available to teach. Experts say that it is yet too soon to fully understand the consequences of the pandemic on the educational system, however, we can already see traces of the negative impact.
In five countries alone — Germany, Hungary, Poland, Austria, and France — more than 80,000 teaching positions remain unfilled. Lessons are being canceled, classes are bigger, support for special needs is being slashed, and the school timetable is being shortened.
David Edwards, general secretary of Education International, a global federation of teachers’ unions, said: “Everyone is very concerned about shortages [in Europe and elsewhere]. It’s a real crisis.”
It’s time for a big change. UNESCO attributed the theme: “The transformation of education begins with teachers” to this year's World Teacher’s Day. Celebrations will address the commitments and calls for action necessary to find a solution to the crisis. In order not to compromise the formation of the next generations and the future of society, it is necessary to transform education. And the change begins in recognizing teachers’ work.
A teacher is a friend, philosopher, and guide who holds our hand, opens our mind and touches our hearts. One of the oldest professions in the world is now at risk. Measures have to be taken, and the mindset has to change: Teachers are the solution, not the problem. They spread knowledge and help create the foundations of society, therefore, they deserve better working conditions and a special thank you from all of us.