Global Report on Teachers
The Global Report on Teachers is a flagship report authored jointly by the Teacher Task Force and UNESCO, aimed at supporting the international community in advancing its commitment to the Education 2030 Agenda. It is published every two years featuring a thematic focus relevant to the advancement of SDG4. Every other report will also monitor the indicators related to target 4.c.
The Global Report on Teachers supports teachers and quality teaching with up-to-date knowledge and analysis to advance evidence-informed policy-making to ensure that all children have access to quality learning opportunities. This report fills a gap within the body of global public goods and aims to use data and analysis to improve teacher-related education policies and programmes.
Objectives of the Report
- monitor global progress towards achieving target 4. c. through the co-collection and presentation of relevant data and indicators at the global, regional and national levels, drawing from a wide variety of sources and allowing for a comparative analysis between countries and regions and progress over time;
- analyse on pressing issues facing the teaching profession, which can support or hinder progress towards the SDG 4 targets;
- draw on the experience within the Teacher Task Force membership, to present evidence-based good practice and recommendations for policy-makers and other stakeholders;
- advocate and draw attention to the need for greater investment in the teaching profession, turning the spotlight on the critical role of teachers and educators more broadly as well as the need for more and better internationally comparable data to track progress.
Editorial Board
To ensure synergy, complementarity, and avoid duplication of efforts, as well as to enhance the overall quality and impact of the Report, the Teacher Task Force Steering Committee established an Editorial Board exclusively dedicated to supporting the development of the Global Report on Teachers. This Editorial Board brings together a diverse range of stakeholders, including representatives of multilateral agencies, international organizations, donors, independent experts, teachers and Teacher Task Force representatives.
Global Report on Teachers 2024: Addressing teacher shortages and transforming the profession
The first UNESCO and Teacher Task Force Global Report on Teachers included a monitoring mandate and examined the urgent global challenge of a 44 million teacher shortage to achieve primary and secondary universal education by 2030 by drawing on new data and research. Entitled “Addressing teacher shortages and transforming the profession,” it provides practical insights and best practices to enhance teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development. It is grounded in strong evidence and international commitments, which highlight that an empowered and well-supported teaching workforce is essential for achieving quality education and promoting lifelong learning for all.
Launched at the 14th Policy Dialogue Forum in Johannesburg on 26 February 2024, the Global Report on Teachers serves as a critical resource for policymakers, educators, and stakeholders dedicated to achieving SDG 4 of inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all. Rooted in a growing solidarity with teachers at the global level, aligned with the recommendations of the UN Secretary-General's High-level Panel on the Teaching Profession and the outcomes of the Transforming Education Summit, the Report seeks to translate these commitments into tangible action by offering actionable recommendations to address global teacher shortages.
Global Report on Teachers 2026
The 2026 Edition will focus on teachers’ professional development (TPD), building on the findings of the previous Report, which underscored a global shortage of qualified teachers. Without high-quality TPD, education systems are likely to experience increased teacher shortages as well as decreased teacher well-being and student learning outcomes. Professional development is therefore a cornerstone of effective and high-quality teaching and plays a vital role in promoting teachers’ well-being, motivation, and professional fulfilment.
Yet TPD is too often viewed primarily through the lens of formal learning, which limits opportunities for teachers and tends to rely on costly, sometimes inequitably distributed training models. To broaden this perspective, the 2026 Report will re-envision TPD through the lens of lifelong learning, recognizing the value learning modalities beyond formal settings, which can take place in diverse communities and contexts. This Report will document and call for expanded access and recognition of TPD opportunities, including in underserved areas across critical educational pathways such as early childhood care and education (ECCE), technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and adult learning and education (ALE).
It will call for robust, equitable support systems and the protection of teachers’ agency – key enablers that empower teachers to engage meaningfully in continuous professional development and lifelong learning journeys.
The 2026 Global Report on Teachers will be launched at the 15th Policy Dialogue Forum in November 2026.
The Global Report on Teachers is generously funded by the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences:
The realization of the Report is also possible thanks to the contribution of the following entities:
Hero image credit: UNESCO/Erika Pineros
