According to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), by 2015 an additional 5.3 million teachers are needed to meet the needs of global education and children around the world. But teacher shortages present an ongoing challenge. Worldwide, 1.6 million new teachers are needed to meet the demand, and 3.7 million more are needed to replace those who are retiring or changing career professions.
In developing countries, the average student to teacher ratio is very high, which increases the difficulty of the educator’s role. The GPE reports an average of 43 students per teacher. In addition, in many countries, teachers themselves have a low level of education and poor pre-service training, which leads to low outcomes for students in basic literacy and math skills.
Through partnerships, the GPE has committed to improving the effectiveness of teaching at the primary and secondary levels, improving employment terms and conditions for teachers, and engaging teacher organizations in education sector planning.
The GPE is not alone in helping improve global education worldwide. In September, Sony Global Education, Inc. partnered with the world’s leading global education network Edmodo to make Sony’s Global Math Challenge, an online math competition, accessible to teachers and students in over 190 countries.
“The world of education is constantly evolving, and we are thrilled to be working with Edmodo, a company that has made huge strides in offering innovative solutions to help teachers connect to their students, parents and administrators,” said Masaaki Isozu, President of Sony Global Education.
With a continued focus on global education, more students in developing countries can have the opportunity to attend universities and gain professional skills to work in the global marketplace.
– Alexandra Korman
Sources: Global Partnership, Market Watch, Newsweek
Photo: Go Banking