The Global Report on the Status of Teachers 2021
Findings 1. The status of teachers remains a concern in many jurisdictions. The factors that influence status may remain the same, but the experience of these varies across Education International’s membership. Pay, conditions, policy settings, and how teachers are represented in the media and by governments are critical factors in public perceptions of status. Worryingly: a. The majority of unions perceive that the media portrayal of teachers is not positive (table 171/figure 141). b. There is ongoing concern regarding a move towards precarious employment for teaching as a profession (table 76/figure 61). c. The majority of unions worry about the generational renewal of teachers, as they do not feel that teaching is viewed as an attractive career by young people (table 24/figure19), that attrition remains too high because of work-related issues (tables 27-36/figures 22-26), and this impacts the hiring of unqualified teachers (table 34/figure 28). d. A concern is that negotiated, collective agreements are reported to have been unilaterally modified or cancelled over the last three years (table 44/figure 36). e. The majority of unions report that teachers’ salaries have either stayed the same or declined over the last three years (tablea 61/figure 49). f. The majority of unions report that teachers’ work conditions have declined over the last three years (table 63/figure 50). g. The data suggests that increased workload has a particular impact on the decline in conditions (tables 64-69/figures 51-55). 2. Discrimination against individuals is in the minority, but still exists and requires attention, particularly with regard to gender and leadership. 3. The status of teachers remains a site of struggle for unions as they must work to protect hard-won concessions whilst also responding to new challenges as governments remain committed to narrow reform agendas. 4. Relatedly, the data does not tell a single story. This is perhaps best illustrated by questions regarding the union’s relationship with governments/policymakers, and their ability to influence policy on behalf of their members. While the majority of unions expressed disappointment that their advocacy was not recognised, there remains a significant minority of unions that report collaborative relations with decision-makers and believe that they contributed to the national response to COVID-19. Understanding teacher status is partly understanding these two sets of unions and the reasons why some have more purchase than others. 5. COVID-19 has had an extreme impact on many jurisdictions. While it is important to acknowledge the tragic effects of the pandemic on many families and communities, this survey, concerned as it is with the status of teachers, necessarily takes a narrow view. The impact on teacher status is perhaps best described as ‘mixed’: 113
