Global Teacher Shortages Highlighted as UNESCO Warns of Millions More Needed by 2030

UNESCO estimates the world needs 44 million more primary and secondary teachers by 2030 to achieve universal basic education, with 15 million required in sub-Saharan Africa and 7.8 million in Southern Asia. This year also marks 60 years of the ILO-UNESCO recommendation on the status of teachers, focusing attention on whether schools can hire and retain staff.

Global and Indian Comparisons

India has more students per teacher than the OECD average of 38 mostly high-income countries. OECD data puts India's student-to-teaching-staff ratio at 27 in primary education compared to the OECD average of 14, while at lower-secondary it is 19 against 13, and at upper secondary it is 21 against 13. By comparison, primary ratios are 21 in the US, 25 in the UK, 18 in France, and 15 in Germany and Spain.

Higher Education and Vacancies

Meanwhile, an SBI Research report states India's higher-education pupil-teacher ratio was 23 in 2023-24, though state levels vary widely from 14 in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Goa to 57 in Bihar, 48 in Jharkhand, and 33 in Uttar Pradesh. The report also notes that 14,042 of 41,351 sanctioned teaching posts were vacant in centrally funded institutions, representing a 34 percent vacancy rate, with professor-level vacancies reaching 56.2 percent.

Context

Teacher shortages and high student-to-teacher ratios affect classroom learning quality across both developing and developed nations. Comparing education metrics internationally requires standard definitions, which is why organizations like the OECD and UNESCO track these distinct figures across school and higher education levels.