An expert analysis of OECD findings on how technology, working conditions, and professional growth are reshaping education worldwide.
Source: OECD, Results from TALIS 2024: The State of Teaching (Paris, 2025)
Teaching in 2025: Between Innovation and Uncertainty
The teaching profession stands at a crossroads between technological transformation and structural fatigue.
The OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS 2024) collected responses from 280 000 educators across 55 education systems, making it the world’s most comprehensive view of the teaching profession.
The data paint a complex picture: teachers are increasingly engaging with artificial intelligence and digital tools, yet many still struggle with career stability, workload, and motivation to remain in the profession. In essence, AI is changing the “how” of teaching, while employment realities threaten the “why.”
Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom: Promise and Uneven Access
AI adoption in schools is accelerating, but professional readiness is deeply unequal.
According to TALIS 2024, AI use among teachers varies dramatically across systems.
In Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, about 75 % of teachers report using AI in their teaching, and they are also most likely to have received professional learning on how to apply it effectively.
Elsewhere, adoption rates remain far lower — often because teachers lack both training and confidence.
For education systems, this signals an urgent need to embed AI literacy in teacher professional development.
As digital technologies redefine classrooms, the most competitive systems will be those where educators are trained not only to use AI but to question and guide it ethically.
Supporting Novice Teachers: Mentorship Matters, Allocation Fails
Induction support is improving, yet inequitable deployment undermines its benefits.
TALIS finds that mentorship for novice teachers has expanded, and those with mentors report higher job satisfaction and well-being.
However, teacher allocation mechanisms often privilege seniority, sending less experienced educators into the most challenging environments.
This paradox risks accelerating burnout and attrition just as teachers begin their careers. Worlddidac’s community of training providers and teacher-education institutions can play a vital role by developing mentorship frameworks and leadership training that scale beyond individual schools.
Employment Conditions: The Hidden Driver of Retention
Teachers leave not only for low pay, but for unstable and rigid employment structures.
TALIS 2024 confirms that salary remains important but not decisive. In many countries, contract stability, workload, and autonomy weigh equally — or more — in career decisions.
Systems relying heavily on temporary or part-time contracts see higher turnover and lower morale, directly affecting student achievement.
The evidence suggests that predictable employment pathways and manageable workloads may now be the strongest levers for teacher retention.
The Strategic Implication: Teaching as a Talent Ecosystem
Education reform must treat teaching as a knowledge-based profession, not a cost centre.
If AI and industry partnerships redefine R&D, teaching represents the parallel human infrastructure that determines whether innovation succeeds.
For Worlddidac members — from EdTech companies to TVET institutions — the message is clear: investment must shift toward teacher empowerment technologies, continuous training ecosystems, and evidence-based policy dialogue.
