Education Policy Outlook 2024 Reshaping Teaching into a Thriving Profession from ABCs to AI

Book excerpt: Teacher shortages have intensified across several OECD countries, making this an urgent priority for education systems. Between 2015 and 2022, the share of students whose principals reported shortages rose from 29% to 46.7% on average across the OECD. Simultaneously, rapid technological advances, such as artificial intelligence (AI), and broader socio-economic shifts, increase the need to support teachers in delivering quality education in evolving contexts. Addressing both the number of teachers and ensuring they possess the skills to meet new educational needs is essential for student success. This report presents a policy roadmap to help education systems balance the supply and demand for quality teaching in these changing times. Drawing on responses from 33 education systems to the Education Policy Outlook National Survey for Comparative Analysis, as well as additional evidence, the report outlines current challenges and key factors in their interplay. It also explores policy responses to attract, retain, and develop teachers, enhancing their teaching practices and professional learning. In doing so, the report aims to support countries in advancing the goals set by the 2022 OECD Declaration on Building Equitable Societies Through Education. This report is part of the Education Policy Outlook series – the OECD’s analytical observatory of education policy.