True or false. Is the problem of the lack of teachers common to all European countries, as Nicole Belloubet claims?

For the Minister of Education, the lack of teachers that France is still suffering from in 2024 is a problem that is not specific to the country, but common to all of our European neighbors.

Of the 27,589 positions open for public and private sector teaching competitions in 2024, 3,185 have not been filled, according to figures from the Ministry of National Education. A persistent crisis in teacher recruitment that raises concerns, but which is not “specific to France“, according to the Minister of National Education. According to Nicole Belloubet, on franceinfo, these difficulties “all European countries meet them“. It’s true.

According to the latest comparative report from the European Commission, from 2023, which monitors education and training in all European Union countries, there is indeed a general problem in recruiting new teachers compared to the needs of each country.

On the other hand, it is impossible to compare France with its European neighbours, the report explains, because each country has different methods and indicators to quantify its teacher shortage. Some focus on vacant or unfilled positions, such as France, Italy or Bulgaria, others on the ratio between pupils and teachers and there are also those who use several indicators, such as Germany. Finally, in some countries, the European Commission considers the indicators provided as “blurry” and not sufficiently clear. They come to the conclusion that one cannot compare countries and thus say which one is experiencing the biggest crisis in teacher recruitment.

The European Commission report states that, despite these disparities in methodology, it observes common specificities in the shortage of teachers. For example, there is a shortage of teachers mainly in disadvantaged regions of all EU countries.

Some subjects are also more affected than others, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. There is also a significant shortage of new teachers in the humanities. Finally, the report notes a gender gap in primary education, where male teachers are underrepresented.

The European Commission’s 2023 report also looked at the reasons for this global shortage of teachers in Europe. It points to an aging profession, which is struggling to be attractive. Depending on the country, the reasons for this lack of attractiveness vary.

In France, what is reported is above all the workload of teachers which is too high. But more broadly, the main reason which stands out on a European scale is the problem of salaries, which are insufficient. Nicole Belloubet recognizes that there is “still efforts to be made from a remuneration point of view“.