The Impending Recruitment Crisis Within International Schools
- Thomas Blakemore
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
The impending recruitment crisis in International Schools has been a thought in the back of my head for a while now, but we are really heading towards a cliff with teacher recruitment.
Teacher attrition rates continue to be at record highs, and recruitment is low.
Thinking personally, I wouldn’t want a 40-year student loan tax (let’s call it what it is) hanging over me until retirement. I believe many others considering teaching feel the same. A potential solution (which some universities are adopting) is an apprenticeship teaching model, but does this further frustrate those already in teaching with years of student taxation left? I know it does for me.
Low recruitment and high attrition affect everything. Internationally, schools depend on teachers coming from places like the UK to fill vacancies. Quality schools depend on quality teaching, and with fewer teachers entering the profession, that becomes increasingly difficult to sustain.
In places like Dubai, wage stagnation has also contributed to attrition. Once an attractive destination for teachers, many are now reconsidering their options, questioning whether the financial benefits still outweigh the challenges.
I believe secondary schools will feel the impact first. Subject specialists, particularly in STEM and languages, are already in short supply. Schools may be forced to compromise on quality or rely more heavily on unqualified teachers, potentially creating a ripple effect on student outcomes.
The question is, what happens next? Will governments and international schools take action, or will this slow-motion crisis continue to unfold?
My thoughts:
-Pay teachers more.
-Make student loans pay themselves back. Each year of service could know off a year of debt. Could this keep teachers motivated to continue for 15 years?
-More staff in classrooms to reduce workload
-Consider policies that attribute the highest workload (marking policies and report protocols)
All of this comes down to funding. I don’t believe for a second that paying teachers more and more is going to deal with the other challenges in the classroom which is why it’s a multi-headed beast to tackle.
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