2. Agnes Roman, ETUCE Senior Coordinator
Status of teaching profession Recruitment and retention of teachers
Agnes Roman, ETUCE Senior Coordinator

5. Challenge 1: Ageing teacher population
In OECD countries (2015)

6. Challenge 1: Ageing teacher population
Young teachers – below the age of 30:
12% in primary education,
10% in lower secondary and
7% in upper secondary on average across the OECD.
In OECD countries (2015) teachers are at least 50 years old:
32% of primary school teachers
36% at the lower secondary level
40% at the upper secondary

7. Challenge 2: Gender imbalance in teacher profession

8. Challenge 2: Gender imbalance in teacher profession
In OECD countries (2015) the women teachers:
97% at the pre-primary level,
83% at the primary level
69% at the lower secondary level
59% at the upper secondary level
43% at the tertiary level.

9. Challenge 3: Salary and attractiveness

10. Challenge 3: Salary and attractiveness
Teachers’ salaries are low compared to other similarly educated full- time workers.
The range is between 78% and 94% of the salaries of full-time workers with tertiary education.
The level of teachers’ salaries depend on a country’s relative wealth.
The economic downturn in 2008 had a direct impact on teachers’ salaries, which were either frozen or cut in some countries.

11. Challenge 3: Salary and attractiveness
Between 2005 and 2015 teachers’ statutory salaries decreased in real terms in one-third of the countries
Decreased by 10% or more (both primary and lower secondary level)(OECD):
Czech Republic
Greece
Turkey
“Increase” in 2015 (EURYDICE, 2016) :
- Romania 5% ,
- FYROM 4%,
- Turkey 5%+6%,
- Serbia 5%

12. Challenge 4: Working hours
Number of teaching hours (OECD) in lower secondary education (2015):
500 hours/year: Russia, Turkey, Poland
600 hours/year: Hungary, Lithuania, Czech R, Estonia, Slovenia
hours/year: Slovakia, Latvia
hours/year: Scotland, US, Switzerland

13. Challenge 4: Working hours
„Teaching hours” is not equal with „working hours” % of time spent in teaching: 60% Lithuania 40% Estonia, Slovakia, Latvia 35% Check R., Hungary 30% Turkey

14. Challenge 5: Expectations of the society and politicians
New pedagogy, new methodology: digital tools, social media, etc.
Competence-based teaching;
Mobility, internationalization
Integration of migrant and refugee children
Individualised teaching
Teaching for “life and jobs”: shift towards project-based practical learning
Shift towards real life experience and work experience

15. Challenge 6: Few/lack of support
Teaching is a “lonely job”
Continuous professional development:
- time
- permit
- fee
- usefulness

16. Thank you for your attention agnes.roman@csee-etuce.org