OECD Reports Global Teacher Shortages Hitting Mathematics and Science Hardest
The analysis covers 38 OECD member countries and 12 others, including Brazil, China, India, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.
Official vacancy figures tell only part of the story. For the 2024/25 academic year, vacant positions accounted for under 4% of the total primary and secondary teaching staff across all 20 education systems that provided data. However, shortages remain concentrated in specific subjects and regions. Out of 16 countries and economies with available data, 11 indicated a lack of fully qualified secondary teachers in science and mathematics.
International Variations in Qualifications and Staffing Pressures
Across the OECD, an average of 9% of primary and secondary teachers were not fully qualified in the 2024/25 school year. This percentage was higher than 18% in Germany, Estonia, Denmark, and Chile, whereas in Korea and Japan, teachers must be fully qualified before they can enter the profession. The share of teachers without full certification reportedly rose in two-thirds of reporting countries between the 2017-18 and 2024-25 periods, while one in four secondary teachers across the OECD is 55 or older.
Contrasting international figures highlight distinct national pressures. In Latvia, 12% of fully qualified primary and secondary teachers left the profession in 2024, approximately one in eight teachers within a year, according to the OECD review. Inga Vanaga, Chairwoman of the Latvian Trade Union of Education and Science Workers, believes young specialists face emotional burnout and excessive workloads too quickly. Conversely, Ireland outperforms most countries in retaining staff, with only 2.1% leaving the profession in 2024/25 and just 0.3% of teachers lacking full qualification.
Ireland Trails OECD Peers in Second-Level Student Spending
Financial investment varies widely across member nations. Government expenditure per second-level student in Ireland was $12,731 in 2023, compared to an average of $16,802 spent by eight comparable countries. Other nations invested more in 2023, including Austria at $19,935 per student, Belgium at $19,665, and Iceland at $17,720. The report places Ireland in last place out of 38 OECD countries for second-level investment as a percentage of GDP, spending 0.9% compared to the OECD and EU averages of 1.7%. ASTI President Richie Bell stated that second-level schools in Ireland continue to be under-resourced, resulting in classes that are too large and inadequate equipment. ASTI General Secretary Linda Kelly said that Irish expenditure is “significantly lower” than in countries with equivalent economies, even considering the impact of multinationals on GDP, and argued that the government must commit to more investment per student in Budget 2027. Kelly added that “insufficient staffing” and “inadequate buildings” are consequences of this funding.
This has increased pressure on Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton, who claims schools suffer from “persistent, systemic underfunding.” Third-level funding also lags; the State covers 58% of degree-level costs, while the OECD average is 68%. Nonetheless, Ireland’s educational outcomes are impressive.
Pay remains a critical factor in recruitment. On average, teachers make between 87% and 95% of the earnings of other workers with tertiary education, while the starting pay for lower secondary teachers is typically 61% of what similarly educated professionals earn. While 85% of teachers report job satisfaction, only 22% believe teaching is valued by society.
Demographic Shifts and Future Projections for Schools
Demographic changes will alter staffing demands over the next decade. In Ireland, the population in that age group is projected to shrink by 17% by 2033. According to the OECD, there is an opportunity for policy makers to reallocate resources and teachers to the subjects, schools, and communities experiencing the most severe shortages.
In 2025, nearly 40% of 15-year-olds were in schools where principals reported that instruction was hindered by teacher shortages, an increase from 27% in 2018. In Australia, RMIT University associate professor Reece Mills wrote in August that over 40% of secondary school principals say shortages hurt education quality, a figure nearly double the OECD average and up from 14% in 2018. To address these gaps, the OECD suggests making better use of existing teaching capacity and broadening pathways into the profession while maintaining standards.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 OECD Report
What percentage of teaching posts were officially vacant across OECD systems?
Across all 20 education systems with available data, unfilled positions represented less than 4% of the total primary and secondary teaching workforce during the 2024/25 academic year.
How much do starting teachers earn compared to other tertiary-educated workers?
Starting salaries for lower secondary teachers across the OECD average 61% of the earnings of similarly educated workers, while overall teacher earnings range between 87% and 95% of what other tertiary-educated workers earn.
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