According to a UNESCO document published in October 2024, the world is facing a critical shortage of teachers. The Global Report on Teachers highlights the urgency of this problem and calls for immediate action. The report reveals a projected shortfall of 44 million primary and secondary school teachers by 2030 and examines the complexity of this crisis. In Europe itself, the profession is becoming less attractive, leading to problems retaining teachers. European governments and teachers’ unions estimate that more than 80,000 teaching positions remain unfilled. At the same time, the average age of current teachers across Europe is rising dramatically. Fewer than 10% of all teachers are under 30, while more than 50% are 50 or older (Age structure of teachers in selected EU countries, Masaryk University, 2022).

Addressing this problem requires providing teachers with comprehensive support at every stage of their career. This includes ensuring they are equipped with the competencies and tools needed to succeed, while also increasing the attractiveness of the profession. A key aspect is easing the smooth transition into teaching and motivating teachers to
continuously develop their skills.

Long-term benefits can be achieved by supporting initiatives that increase the attractiveness of the teaching profession (e.g. increasing social recognition, improving staff retention, offering better working conditions, and providing greater opportunities for professional growth). Fostering a culture of mutual support among teachers plays a key role in improving knowledge sharing, professional competence and emotional wellbeing. This collaboration helps build confidence and supports a positive school environment. Effective mentoring programmes, in which experienced and less experienced teachers collaborate and support one another, can be an excellent way to achieve these outcomes, benefiting both teachers and students. Schools currently often lack the tools and methods needed to effectively implement a mentoring programme. Addressing this requires creating a dedicated space and framework that allows educational institutions to make better use of their existing teachers, while equipping them with the knowledge and skills to help improve the overall quality of the teaching process.

Research shows that a well-structured mentoring programme focused on professional development, teacher collaboration and the mutual exchange of knowledge and experience brings significant benefits (reducing the rate at which new teachers leave the profession early, strengthening the professional growth of experienced teachers, and fostering a positive environment for peer collaboration aimed at improving student performance and the overall quality of education). Implementing such programmes helps schools retain talent and create a supportive environment for both teachers and students.

Project number: KA220-SCH-000359018

This project is funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme.

European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of its contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.