중동부유럽

Teacher shortage is an increasingly global issue, with many countries, including Estonia, facing challenges in attracting candidates and retaining qualified teachers. State statistics and international comparisons show a worrying decade-long decline in the qualified teacher workforce in Estonia, worsening yearly. Addressing this shortage is crucial for sustaining high-quality education in the country. In response, this study involved focus group interviews with diverse stakeholders – pre-service and in-service teachers, teacher educators, school leaders, school governors and policymakers – to identify key causes contributing to the shortage and suggestions for additional measures. We identified seven themes related to causes and suggestions: the attractiveness and status of teaching, governance and legislative framework, competencies of school governors, teacher preparation, teacher workload, salaries and motivation packages and school conditions. These themes, essential for understanding and addressing Estonia’s teacher shortage, are comprehensively explored and discussed in the article.