On Tuesday, the Ministry of Education presented the results of the OECD's Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS).

The average age of teachers in Estonia is 49, which is slightly higher than the OECD average of 45. More than half of teachers in Estonia are aged 50 or older, a share that has remained unchanged in recent years. Just 9 percent are under the age of 30.

Eighty-four percent of teachers in Estonia are women, compared to an OECD average of 70 percent. The proportion of female teachers in Estonia has remained the same since 2018.

"The average age of teachers is higher than in Estonia in Portugal, Lithuania, Latvia, and Hungary," said TALIS coordinator and Education and Youth Board representative Gunda Tire at the press conference. "In Japan, for example, nearly 60 percent of teachers are men, while the OECD average is 30 percent."

The share of female school principals has increased significantly: in 2018, 57 percent of school leaders were women, but that figure is now 72 percent. The average principal is 52.7 years old, and nearly all hold a master's degree.

Estonia stands out for its highly educated teaching workforce. Seventy-three percent of teachers have a master's degree, compared to the OECD average of 57 percent. However, education systems vary, and some countries do not require teachers to have a master's degree.

Estonian teachers spend less time managing classroom discipline than teachers in many other OECD countries: 9 percent of class time compared to the OECD average of 15 percent. Teachers in Estonia are able to dedicate 84 percent of class time to learning. In addition, the survey found that Estonian teachers have significantly more autonomy and freedom in organizing their teaching than their counterparts elsewhere.

Student diversity is growing

The perceived value of the teaching profession is low: only 10 percent of teachers agree that policymakers value their opinions, and 20 percent feel valued by society.

Still, 93 percent of teachers are generally satisfied with their jobs — well above the OECD average. Seventy-six percent say they would choose the teaching profession again if given the choice. At the same time, Estonia stands out for the high risk of teacher attrition: 46 percent plan to stay in the profession for no more than five more years.

Fewer teachers are satisfied with their salaries compared to those in reference countries. In Estonia, 30 percent are satisfied with their pay, down from 39 percent in 2018. Among school principals, 38 percent are satisfied with their salary, which is also low compared to other countries.

Teachers are also tired of ongoing changes and want greater stability.

Äli Leijen, professor of teacher education at the University of Tartu, noted that compared to 2018, the student body has become more diverse in terms of language, culture, and learning needs.

One in four teachers in Estonia works at a school where more than 10 percent of students do not speak Estonian as their first language. Nearly 64 percent of teachers work at schools where at least 1 percent of students are refugees.

"A point of concern is that, over the past five years, the share of teacher training graduates who feel well-prepared in their subject area has declined," Leijen said.

More students with special educational needs in schools.

While 63 percent of teachers across the OECD say they are able to adapt their teaching to students' cultural diversity, only 45 percent of teachers in Estonia say the same. Just 20 percent of Estonian teachers feel well-prepared to work in a multicultural or multilingual environment.

Fifty-seven percent of teachers in Estonia work in schools where more than 10 percent of students have special educational needs. The OECD average is 46 percent. In Estonia, this figure has risen by 27 percentage points since 2018.

Forty-three percent of teachers in Estonia feel they are able to adapt assignments for students with special needs, compared to the OECD average of 62 percent. Across the OECD, 72 percent of teachers have the opportunity to teach students with special needs together with another adult in the classroom; in Estonia, that opportunity exists for 64 percent of teachers.

Beginning teachers want more support and to be heard, mid-career teachers seek better career opportunities, experienced teachers prioritize curriculum and assessment reforms, and highly experienced teachers emphasize the need for greater societal appreciation and reduced bureaucracy. Across all age groups, workload, pay, and the need for greater recognition are common concerns.

TALIS is conducted by the OECD every five to six years. In Estonia, the survey included 3,338 teachers of grades 7 through 9 and 192 school principals.

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