Effective interventions to improve student learning depend on strong teachers. Transitioning from a less effective teacher to a highly effective one can equate to several additional years of schooling and learning. Teachers also significantly impact students¡¯ long-term social and employment outcomes, helping to prepare them for the world of work. Moreover, the teaching profession itself is a major source of jobs for men and women. Indeed, it will be a key employment opportunity in the future as tens of millions of additional teachers will be needed around the world.
To ensure that all children are taught by effective teachers, the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ emphasizes the importance of preparing and supporting teachers throughout their careers. This support to teachers is increasingly vital in the context of low levels of learning, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and the significant learning recovery needs due to prolonged school closures during pandemics, wars, and natural disasters.
Key challenges include:
- Low learning outcomes: Many children in low- and middle-income countries cannot read and understand a simple text by age 10, partly due to inadequate recruitment, preparation, support, management, and motivation of teachers.
- Teacher shortages: An additional are needed to achieve universal primary and secondary education and meet the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) by 2030.
- Inadequate teacher preparation: Many teachers lack the core knowledge and skills for teaching, which are typically gained through initial teacher education (ITE) and continuous professional development (CPD). These programs often do not reflect the realities of overcrowded and under-resourced classrooms.
- Deployment issues: Too often, insufficient numbers of teachers are deployed to areas where they are most needed, particularly in remote and underserved regions.
- Rigid career structures: Teacher career structures often lack flexibility and leadership opportunities, making attracting and retaining highly effective teachers difficult.
Last Updated: Apr 21, 2025
