Only 9 of 46 sub-Saharan African countries are projected to meet the primary school teacher demand by 2030

Number of countries anticipated to either have sufficient or shortage of primary school teachers by region (2030)

Key takeaways:

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of countries (37) expected to face a teacher shortage at the [primary levels.
In Latin America & the Caribbean, 18 countries are expected to have enough primary teachers.
Europe & Northern America is one of the best-performing after Latin America & the Caribbean, with 17 countries expected to meet primary teachers' demand.
If this trend continues, millions of children will struggle to access quality primary education, reinforcing cycles of poverty and limited economic mobility.
A lack of teachers doesn’t just mean fewer classrooms; it also means overburdened educators, lower student engagement, and declining educational outcomes.

By 2030, a significant number of countries are projected to face severe shortages of primary school teachers. The data from UNESCO and the Teacher Task Force highlights a concerning trend in which many regions are not on track to meet their teacher demand. Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, faces the most critical shortfall, with only 9 out of 46 countries expected to have enough primary school teachers. Meanwhile, Europe & Northern America fare much better, with 17 countries projected to have sufficient primary school teachers.

Source:

UNESCO and Teacher Task Force

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Period:

2030

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