44% of female children aged 5-14 in North West Nigeria are out of school
Ninety-eight per cent of children aged 5 to 14 in the South East and South South zones are enroled in school, compared to significantly lower numbers in the North. For example, in the North East, only 56% of female children are in school.
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.
Sub-Saharan Africa faces the biggest shortage, with 40 countries struggling to fill teaching positions in secondary schools.
Europe & Northern America (33 countries) and Latin America & the Caribbean (29 countries) are also at risk, showing that the teacher crisis isn’t just a developing-world issue.
Eastern Asia and Central Asia don’t have a single country expected to have enough secondary school teachers, indicating a major educational gap in these regions.
The impact of teacher shortages goes beyond education—overcrowded classrooms, exhausted teachers, and declining educational quality will harm future economic and workforce development.
Solving this crisis requires urgent action, from better teacher training to improved salaries and working conditions to attract more people to the profession.
