Teacher Futures: Global Reaction to Teacher Shortages and Variations in Education Labour

Abstract

Upcoming changes in the teacher labour supply will most certainly have an impact on those nations that provide government-based education for their youths. Faced with a significant global shortfall of educators, many nations have taken steps to incentivize teaching as a profession and ensure that qualified teachers are available to students in all locations particularly in rural environments. To highlight these initiatives, a review of the efforts three nations (Australia, the United States of America and Zambia) have undertaken to ensure a viable teacher workforce have been presented. While each nation has specific factors that contribute to current and projected shortages, each also provides unique solutions to assist in resolving this emerging issue.