Brussels, 13/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The number of graduates entering the teaching profession is falling in Europe, and the warning signs are there that there could be teacher shortages in the future a European Commission report, “Key Data on Education in EUROPE 2012”, reveals. Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria and Belgium are the countries most at risk.
The report, presented to EU education ministers at their meeting in Brussels on 10 February, traces the main developments in European education systems over the past decade. It was produced jointly by the Eurydice network and Eurostat.
The report suggests that, at a time when many current teachers are approaching retirement age, the profession is not appealing enough to attract a sufficient number of graduates. It also highlights encouraging signs, however. In 2009, 13 member states, including Portugal, increased the length of compulsory education by between, one and three years and are working to reduce school drop out rates.
The report finds that targeted training for teachers, such as mentoring, guidance for assessment and classroom observation, is now more widespread across Europe. In addition, the Commission is encouraging continuing professional training for teachers and provides them with opportunities to gain teaching and training experience abroad as part of its proposed “Erasmus for All” programme.
The report finds, too, that higher education remains the best guarantee against unemployment: graduates find jobs twice as quickly as people with lower qualifications (5 months compared to 9.8 months), it says. Between 2000 and 2009, the number of students in higher education rose by an average of 22%, to around 19.5 million in 2009.
There is also the issue of being over- and under-qualified. The report reveals that one graduate in five is over-qualified for his/her job. “There has to be better response to the needs of the market. There are balances between the labour market and the world of education. We will have to try to predict the skills that will be needed, particularly in new technology, green energy and health”, said Pierre Mairesse, Director in DG Education and Culture at the European Commission.
In most member states, funding for education and training remained at around 5% of GDP over the period between 2001 and 2008. Huge efforts have been made in Bulgaria, Cyprus and Iceland and Malta and Ireland which have upped their investment in education by 20% and 30% respectively. The economic crisis and the resulting austerity measures could very well see serious budget cuts in this sector, however. (SD, Stag/transl.rt)