euronews.com
EU Teacher Shortage Crisis at the Start of the 2025/2026 School Year
France, Portugal, and Belgium face significant teacher shortages at the beginning of the 2025/2026 school year, impacting thousands of students and leading some schools to adopt a four-day school week.
- What is the extent of the teacher shortage in France, Portugal, and Belgium?
- France is missing the equivalent of 2,500 teachers, with over half of its public schools lacking at least one teacher. Portugal has over 3,000 understaffed classes, and in Belgium's French-speaking schools, up to a quarter of necessary secondary school teachers are absent, forcing some schools to a four-day week.
- How do teacher unions and government officials differ in their assessments of the crisis?
- Teacher unions in France and Portugal report significantly higher numbers of unfilled teaching positions than the respective Ministers of Education. In Portugal, the union Fenprof reports over 3,000 understaffed classes, while the Minister claims nearly all schools are fully staffed.
- What are the long-term consequences of this teacher shortage, and what factors contribute to the problem?
- UNESCO attributes over 90% of Europe and North America's teacher shortages to teachers leaving the profession. This shortage impacts student learning time and may create a cycle of low-quality education and educational inequality, discouraging future generations from entering the teaching profession.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article presents a balanced view of the teacher shortage crisis in the EU, incorporating perspectives from both teacher unions and government officials. While it highlights the severity of the situation with statistics from multiple countries, it also includes counterarguments from education ministers who claim union figures are inflated. This presents a more nuanced picture than simply focusing on one side of the issue.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral and objective. The article uses direct quotes from various sources and presents statistical data without overt bias. There is no significant use of loaded language or emotional appeals.
Bias by Omission
The article could benefit from exploring the underlying reasons for teacher shortages in more detail. While it mentions UNESCO's assessment on teachers leaving the profession, it doesn't delve into specific factors like low pay, poor working conditions, or lack of support for teachers. Additionally, exploring potential solutions or government initiatives to address the crisis would strengthen the analysis. Given the scope of the article, this omission is understandable but could be improved.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article directly addresses the global teacher shortage crisis impacting the quality of education, particularly in European countries. The shortage leads to incomplete teaching staffs, affecting various subjects and potentially reducing instructional time. This directly undermines SDG 4 (Quality Education) which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The lack of teachers results in reduced learning opportunities, potential educational inequalities, and a cycle of low-quality education.