Alarming new international data has revealed that Australia ranks among the worst countries in the OECD for teacher shortages – with the Australian Education Union (AEU) warning the crisis poses serious risks to equity and education quality.
The findings come from the OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), which shows that more than half of Australian public school principals report teacher shortages that hinder instruction – more than double the OECD average.
According to AEU Federal President Ms Correna Haythorpe, the results are a stark confirmation of what teachers have long been saying.
“This report confirms what teachers have been saying for years – that Australia’s teacher shortage is real, it’s getting worse, and it’s impacting on teaching and learning,” Ms Haythorpe said.
“Australia is now among the top three OECD countries for teacher shortages in public schools. That is unacceptable for a wealthy, developed nation.”
The AEU said the data reveals a particularly concerning picture in schools serving disadvantaged communities.
In schools where more than 30 per cent of students come from socio-economically disadvantaged homes, 66.9 per cent of principals report teacher shortages – second only to Bahrain and more than double the OECD average.
“When students with additional needs or from disadvantaged backgrounds are most affected, the result is a deepening equity divide in Australian education,” Ms Haythorpe said.
The TALIS survey also found that Australian teachers work an average of 46.5 hours per week, compared to the OECD average of 40.8 hours. Almost two-thirds of Australian teachers reported high stress, and more than 80 per cent said their job negatively affects their mental health – one of the highest rates across all TALIS countries.
“Our public schools are under enormous pressure,” Ms Haythorpe said. “Teachers are overworked, stressed and feel unsupported. Without urgent government action to fix workloads, pay and conditions, we risk losing even more teachers from the profession.”
The AEU is calling for a national workforce plan to address the teacher pipeline, from recruitment into initial teacher education to retaining experienced teachers in classrooms.
Ms Haythorpe said the crisis cannot be fixed without addressing the systemic issues driving teachers away.
“We need full and fair funding for public schools, a national workforce plan that tackles workload, and real support for teachers’ mental health,” she said.
“Our students deserve well-qualified and supported teachers in every classroom. There are no shortcuts to fixing the teacher workforce crisis. All governments must properly value, respect and support the teaching profession.”
Key TALIS 2024 findings for Australia:
- 41.9 per cent of Australian lower secondary principals report teacher shortages affecting instruction – almost double the OECD average of 23.1 per cent.
- 58.1 per cent of public school principals say they face shortages – the third-highest rate in the OECD.
- Shortages in public schools are 33.3 percentage points higher than in private schools.
- In disadvantaged schools, 66.9 per cent of principals report shortages – compared to the OECD average of 31.7 per cent.
- 64.6 per cent of teachers experience high stress; 82.4 per cent say their job negatively impacts mental health.
The OECD report concludes that teachers are more likely to remain in the profession when they have sufficient support to manage the challenges of their work – a finding the AEU says should guide urgent government reform.
