Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics - IEA

PART 1: SALARY RELATIVITIES
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Table 2: Summary of Country Case Studies of Teacher Labor Markets (contd.)
Country Main Characteristics of Teacher Main Characteristics of Teacher- Salaries of Teachers and Mathematics- Indicators of Mathematics
Labor Force Education System Oriented Professionals Compared Teacher Supply
Switzerland
Seventy-two percent of primary school
teachers are female, but this proportion
drops to 32% at the upper secondary
level. The teaching force is not old, but
still has a high turnover—about eight
percent per year. There is a major
shortage of teachers at the lower
secondary level despite a low growth in
student enrollment.
Primary and lower secondary teachers
must have undertaken tertiary education,
usually in a teacher education program in
a university (three to four years). Upper
secondary teachers have degrees in a
given discipline, with a teaching degree
from a teacher education program (five
years).
Teacher salaries for men and women
were comparable with those in
mathematics-oriented professions in
1996. However, by 2004, this situation
had changed, with teachers losing
ground to research and analysis /
programming professionals.
Qualified teacher shortages exist, especially
at the lower secondary level.
Thailand Primary teaching is characterized by
a huge oversupply of teachers. The
government is promoting early retirement
to ease this glut. Studies suggest that
most teachers have low university
entrance examination scores, so represent
a less “capable” group of professionals.
Only 58% of primary and 50% of
secondary school teachers are female. On
average, teachers are 45 years of age.
Teachers generally obtain two-year
diploma or Bachelor’s degrees from
a variety of teachers’ colleges and
universities. The government is now
moving to four years of coursework and
one year of a teaching practicum for all
teachers. The government is also offering
scholarships and job security guarantees
to attract better-qualified students into
teaching.
In 1996, female teachers earned
approximately the same salaries as
scientific and non-scientific professionals,
but a gap then developed. For male
teachers, the small gap existing in
1996 grew larger thereafter in favor of
non-teachers. Oversupply of teachers in
general is driving teacher salaries down
compared to the salaries offered in other
professions.
Some national programs are offering
scholarships to prospective mathematics
and science teachers to relieve shortages of
teachers with qualifications to teach these
subjects. However, declining teacher salaries
is making it more difficult to recruit teachers
with these special skills.
United Kingdom
The teacher workforce is aging and
becoming increasingly feminized (83%
in primary and 55% in secondary). Sixty
percent of teachers are 45 years of age
and over.
Teachers in England must earn qualified
teacher status by completing either an
undergraduate or a postgraduate teachereducation
program. Most teachers (55%
of primary and 92% of secondary) now
complete a postgraduate program.
The weekly earnings of secondary teachers
with Bachelor’s degrees are higher
than the salaries of both science and
engineering professionals; those teachers
with higher degrees also fare well. Older
scientists and engineers do better than
teachers. Primary teachers also did well
relative to other occupations in 1999, but
this situation changed against teachers
from 1999 on.
Shortages have developed in mathematics,
science, business, and technology. Teachers
with these qualifications qualify for various
existing programs that offer new teacher
bonuses and teaching grants.