September 29, 2026
Schools around the world are facing a growing challenge: ensuring that every student has access to a qualified teacher who can provide consistent, effective instruction. A reported finding in the 2026 education report from the Organisation for Economic Co operation and Development (OECD) indicates that nearly 9.1 percent of primary and secondary teachers lack full qualifications, highlighting persistent staffing pressures and difficulties retaining educators. Behind this figure are classrooms where teachers must manage demanding workloads, students who need individual attention, and school leaders working to keep educational standards steady despite limited resources.
The issue extends beyond the number of vacant teaching positions. When schools struggle to recruit and retain qualified professionals, they may depend more heavily on temporary staff, teachers working outside their areas of expertise, or educators who have not completed all required training. These arrangements can help schools maintain lessons in the short term, but they also raise questions about long term instructional quality, teacher support, and equal access to education.
The reported findings point to a challenge that governments cannot address through recruitment campaigns alone. Improving teacher preparation, working conditions, professional development, and career stability will be essential if education systems want to attract capable candidates and encourage experienced teachers to remain in the profession.
What the Report Says About Teacher Qualifications
The reported 9.1 percent figure draws attention to the proportion of primary and secondary teachers who do not meet all applicable qualification requirements. Although the precise meaning of full qualification can differ between education systems, it generally relates to the formal education, professional preparation, certification, or other credentials required to teach in a particular setting.
This distinction matters because teachers enter the profession through different routes. Some complete university degrees and specialized teacher preparation before entering a classroom. Others may begin teaching while completing their qualifications, particularly in places where schools cannot find enough fully prepared candidates. Certain systems also permit alternative certification pathways designed to bring professionals into schools more quickly.
Not every teacher without a full credential lacks subject knowledge or teaching ability. Some may have relevant degrees, practical experience, or substantial classroom skills while still completing formal requirements. Nevertheless, professional preparation can provide essential knowledge about lesson planning, assessment, classroom management, child development, and the needs of students who require additional support.
We should therefore interpret the reported figure carefully. It does not, by itself, establish that every affected classroom is providing poor instruction, nor does it explain how the situation varies by country, region, school type, or subject. A reliable assessment requires more detail about the underlying data, the definition of qualification, and the differences between participating education systems.
Why Teacher Shortages Continue to Challenge Schools
Recruitment Is Only One Part of the Problem
When a school cannot fill a teaching position, the immediate pressure falls on its existing staff. Teachers may take on additional classes, school leaders may reorganize timetables, and students may experience changes in the people responsible for their learning. In some cases, schools recruit candidates who are still completing their professional training because leaving a position vacant would create an even greater disruption.
These responses can keep classrooms functioning, but they do not necessarily resolve the underlying shortage. If the conditions that discouraged qualified teachers from applying remain unchanged, vacancies can reappear year after year. Recruitment is most effective when it forms part of a broader strategy that supports educators throughout their careers.
Retention Can Be as Difficult as Recruitment
One of the most persistent challenges facing education systems is retaining teachers after they enter the profession. New educators often arrive with strong motivation and a desire to help students succeed, only to discover that the daily demands of teaching extend well beyond delivering lessons.
Planning classes, marking assignments, communicating with families, managing student behavior, completing administrative tasks, and adapting instruction for different learning needs can consume considerable time. When these responsibilities are combined with large classes, limited materials, or insufficient mentoring, the workload can become difficult to sustain.
Pay and career progression also influence whether teachers remain in schools. If salaries fail to keep pace with living costs or offer little advantage over alternative professions, qualified candidates may choose different careers. Experienced teachers may move into private employment, administrative positions, tutoring, or other work that offers greater financial security or more manageable schedules.
The consequences extend beyond the individual teacher. When experienced educators leave, schools lose institutional knowledge, established relationships with families, and the practical expertise that helps newer colleagues develop. Replacing a teacher also requires time and resources that could otherwise support instruction and student services.
Where Teacher Shortages Are Most Severe
The OECD findings show that teacher qualification challenges differ substantially across countries. In Chile, Denmark, Estonia, and Germany, the share of teachers who were not fully qualified exceeded 18 percent in the 2024 to 2025 school year. These differences demonstrate why a single global recruitment strategy is unlikely to address every education system’s needs.
The report also identifies significant regional inequalities within countries. Rural communities, remote areas, and disadvantaged neighborhoods can struggle to attract teachers because of limited housing options, fewer professional opportunities for spouses, inadequate transport, or weaker access to training and support. Schools in these locations may have difficulty competing with better resourced institutions in major cities.
Subject specialisation presents another obstacle. Secondary schools need educators with the appropriate knowledge to teach specific disciplines, and recruiting qualified mathematics and science teachers can be particularly challenging. Graduates with strong technical skills may have attractive alternatives in industries that offer higher salaries or more flexible career opportunities.
The OECD report identifies shortages in mathematics and natural sciences in 11 of the 16 countries and economies with relevant secondary education data. This matters because students who lack consistent access to specialist teachers may struggle to develop the foundations needed for further study in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
These findings are detailed in the OECD publication Education at a Glance 2026, which compares education systems and examines how recruitment, retention, and workforce planning influence teacher availability.
How Teacher Shortages Affect Students
For students, the consequences of teacher shortages may appear gradually. A class might experience frequent changes in instructors, reduced individual feedback, or fewer opportunities to explore difficult topics in depth. When teachers must cover additional classes or work outside their areas of expertise, maintaining consistent lesson planning and assessment can become more difficult.
Children who need additional academic support may face particular challenges. Students who are learning a new language, struggling with foundational reading skills, or requiring tailored classroom assistance often benefit from stable relationships with teachers who understand their progress. Frequent staffing changes can interrupt those relationships and make it harder to identify learning difficulties early.
However, teacher qualification statistics should not be treated as a direct measure of student achievement. Many factors influence educational outcomes, including family circumstances, school leadership, learning materials, class size, and access to support services. The central concern is whether schools can consistently provide students with the skilled instruction and attention they need.
Fair access is equally important. If wealthier communities can attract experienced teachers while disadvantaged schools rely more heavily on temporary or incompletely qualified staff, existing educational inequalities may deepen. Addressing shortages therefore requires policies that consider not only the total number of teachers but also where they work and which students they serve.
What Governments and Schools Can Do
Improve Pay and Working Conditions
Competitive salaries can help teaching attract capable candidates, but financial incentives work best when accompanied by manageable workloads, supportive leadership, and clear career progression. Governments and school authorities should assess whether compensation reflects teachers’ responsibilities and whether administrative demands leave enough time for preparation, instruction, and professional learning.
Schools can also examine practical measures such as reducing unnecessary paperwork, improving access to teaching materials, and providing specialist support for student behavior and learning needs. These changes may help teachers spend more time on the work that directly benefits students.
Support New Teachers From the Beginning
Early career support can make a meaningful difference to teacher retention. Mentoring, structured induction, classroom observation, and regular feedback help new educators develop confidence while addressing challenges before they become overwhelming.
Teachers who are still completing formal qualifications may benefit from paid training opportunities and flexible study arrangements. Rather than treating these educators simply as a temporary response to vacancies, school systems can create clear pathways toward full qualification, with appropriate supervision and realistic completion timelines.
Make Teaching More Attractive in Underserved Areas
Financial incentives, housing assistance, relocation support, and opportunities for professional advancement can help rural and disadvantaged schools compete for qualified staff. Such measures should be designed around local conditions and evaluated regularly to determine whether they improve recruitment and encourage teachers to stay.
Governments should also invest in regional teacher preparation programmes and partnerships between schools and training institutions. Preparing candidates closer to the communities where they are likely to work can help strengthen local recruitment pipelines and reduce dependence on repeated external hiring.
Plan for Future Workforce Needs
Education authorities need reliable information about teacher retirements, student enrollment, subject specific vacancies, and regional staffing patterns. Workforce planning can help governments identify likely shortages early enough to expand training capacity, adjust recruitment targets, and direct resources toward the areas facing the greatest pressure.
Alternative entry routes may also help attract professionals from other careers, particularly in subjects where specialist knowledge is difficult to recruit. However, these routes should include appropriate pedagogical preparation, supervision, and clear standards. Expanding the pool of candidates should not mean abandoning the training and safeguards that support effective teaching.
Why Teacher Retention Must Remain a Priority
The OECD report provides another reason to look beyond vacancy numbers when assessing the health of education systems. Across OECD countries and economies, 6.4 percent of fully qualified primary and secondary teachers left the profession during the 2024 to 2025 school year. Although departure rates differ considerably between countries, the finding highlights the importance of keeping experienced educators in classrooms.
Retention policies should begin by listening to teachers themselves. Regular surveys, confidential feedback channels, and discussions with school leaders can help identify the pressures that encourage educators to leave. Authorities can then test targeted measures, monitor results, and adjust their approach when interventions fail to deliver meaningful improvements.
Schools also benefit when teaching offers a credible long term career. Opportunities to become mentors, curriculum specialists, department leaders, or teacher educators can allow experienced professionals to progress without abandoning classroom teaching altogether. Recognizing professional expertise may help educators feel that their contribution is valued and that their future does not depend on leaving the profession.
A Call for Sustained Investment in Education
The OECD’s reported finding that 9.1 percent of primary and secondary teachers are not fully qualified is a warning about the pressures facing education systems, but it should also encourage practical action. The figure represents an OECD average rather than a universal estimate for every country, and the meaning of full qualification varies according to national requirements. These distinctions are essential when comparing education systems and deciding where support is most urgently needed.
There is no single solution to teacher shortages. Better compensation, stronger training pathways, supportive school leadership, targeted regional incentives, and more effective workforce planning must work together. Governments also need to recognize that retaining an experienced teacher can be just as valuable as recruiting a new one.
Ultimately, the issue is about more than staffing statistics. A qualified, supported teacher can help a student build confidence, understand a difficult subject, and imagine opportunities that once seemed out of reach. Ensuring that every school can provide that support requires sustained investment and a willingness to address the everyday conditions in which teachers work.
The challenge ahead is to turn the OECD’s findings into measurable improvements. By treating teachers as essential professionals, strengthening preparation and career support, and directing resources toward underserved communities, education systems can work toward more stable classrooms and fairer opportunities for students.
