Rural perspectives on the EU teacher shortage

Staffing imbalances, regional talent pools and a perception among many teachers that rural jobs are less attractive all contribute to the unique characteristics of teacher shortages in rural Europe.

Some countries deal with combinations of shortage and oversupply in different regions, including mountain communities and low-inhabited islands; very often these shortages are found in language education and for children with special educational needs. 

Multi-level classrooms

A multi-level classroom model can help in regions that have experienced population loss. A diverse classroom environment in age, skills and maturity can foster cognitive skills, especially at early primary levels.

However, this approach often demands specific pedagogical practices, which require specific teacher competences. Managing multiple curricula is complex, and class sizes and dynamics must be carefully considered to avoid an extra burden being carried by teachers.

Teacher mobility: untapped potential

One solution to these imbalances in teacher supply between EU countries can be in-training and in-service mobility of teachers, which are already substantially supported by the Erasmus+ programme.

However, a significant challenge to in-service mobility is getting credentials recognised. As educational policy is handled by Member States, sometimes qualifications and experiences obtained in one country are not fully recognised in another.

The EMR-Lingua project has produced a detailed assessment of legal obstacles for secondary teachers to work across borders between Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. It recommends recognising qualifications, training programmes, exchanges and governmental policy cooperation.

Making the profession more attractive with systemic measures

Teachers in rural areas tend to show higher levels of satisfaction than their urban peers. Teaching (and living) in rural areas can have many benefits that should be further promoted, such as:

• Better salary,
• Lower administrative burden,
• Extra support for rural training placements and training in areas that are important for rural development (STEM, agriculture, multi-grade teaching).