Teacher vacancies persist, hinting at a deepening crisis emerging
In France, the ongoing teacher vacancy crisis continues to affect various regions and subjects, with approximately 1,200 positions remaining unfilled in both the public and private sectors. The national education system has failed to fill all teaching positions for the fifteenth consecutive year.
The reasons for these vacancies are multifaceted, with global labor shortages and challenges within the education system being key factors. The global labor market is experiencing significant shortages, with 75% of employers struggling to fill job vacancies[2]. This trend impacts various sectors, including education. In addition, the OECD highlights common challenges in education systems, such as aging workforces, high attrition rates, and qualified teacher shortages in specific subjects or regions[3].
Certain subjects like mathematics, sciences, and languages (including French) often face significant shortages. These subjects require specialized qualifications, and there may be a lack of candidates with the necessary skills. For instance, mathematics has 26% of vacant positions in high demand, while physics-chemistry and classical languages have 26% and 33% of vacant positions respectively. Moreover, languages beyond French, such as English and German, have 22% and 23% of vacant positions in high demand.
Regional disparities also play a significant role in teacher shortages. Some regions in France may experience more severe teacher shortages due to factors like geographic location, economic conditions, and local educational policies. The academies of Versailles, Créteil, French Guiana, and Mayotte have faced the most significant losses, with Créteil short 26.5%, Versailles 37%, Mayotte 21%, and French Guiana 77%. In primary education, the academies of French Guiana and Mayotte faced the most significant shortages, with 77% and 21% of positions vacant respectively.
To address these shortages, education systems need to make teaching more attractive by offering better salaries, working conditions, and opportunities for professional growth[3]. Additionally, diversifying pathways into teaching and providing support for current teachers can help mitigate shortages. In France, supplementary competitions will be organized in the two Parisian academies to cover some of the needs in Créteil and Versailles.
Despite these challenges, it's important to note that not all academies have been affected equally. Over 21,400 candidates have been admitted in this recruitment session, and the other 26 academies managed to recruit all the expected teachers.
Sources: [1] Ministry of National Education, France [2] ManpowerGroup, 2021 Talent Shortage Survey [3] OECD, Education at a Glance 2021
- The ongoing teacher vacancy crisis in France, exacerbated by global labor shortages and challenges within the education system, necessitates policy and legislative interventions in education-and-self-development, aimed at making teaching more attractive through better salaries, working conditions, and opportunities for professional growth.
- The general news reveals that while certain regions in France like Créteil, Versailles, French Guiana, and Mayotte have faced severe teacher shortages, regional disparities in teacher supply highlight the need for local educational policies to address the gap and support regional development.
