Teacher wellbeing and the shaping of teacher shortages in crisis-affected contexts
International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, Chris Henderson
This paper explores the link between teacher wellbeing, attrition, and shortages in crisis-affected contexts, where conflict, refugee influxes, and under-resourced environments exacerbate challenges. Despite growing awareness, a global understanding remains limited due to fragmented data and a lack of standardized wellbeing indicators. Drawing on SDG 4c data and case studies from Colombia, Kenya, Myanmar, and Palestine, the analysis highlights two key insights: national data can obscure local teacher shortages and wellbeing concerns, and teaching itself can be both a protective and risk factor. The findings underscore the need for greater attention and funding for teacher wellbeing research, policy, and practice.
This background paper was developed to support the development of the 2024 Global Report on Teachers, titled “Addressing teacher shortages and transforming the profession”.