In 2017, 5.8 million people worked as school teachers in the European Union (EU). These are teachers who work at primary through to upper secondary level.
Women were largely predominant, accounting for 72% (4.2 million teachers).
Among teachers working in the EU, 0.5 million (9% of the total) were under 30 years old, while 2.1 million (36%) were aged 50 or older.
More than 85% of teachers are women in Latvia and Lithuania
In all EU Member States, school teachers in 2017 were predominantly female. The share of female teachers was the highest in Latvia (87%) and Lithuania (85%), followed by Bulgaria, Estonia and Slovenia (all 83%).
In contrast, the share of male teachers was the highest in Denmark (35%, 2014 data except for lower secondary education) and Luxembourg (35%), ahead of Spain and Greece (both 34%), France (32%) and the Netherlands (31%).
The source dataset is accessible here.
More than half of teachers have reached the age of 50 in Italy
36% teachers in the EU primary and secondary schools were 50 or more years old in 2017. In Italy, more than half of teachers fell in this age group (53%). High shares were also registered in Lithuania (50%), Estonia (49%), Bulgaria (48%), Greece (47%), Latvia (46%) and Austria (45%).
9% of teachers in the EU were over 60 years old, with the highest shares in this age group found again in Estonia (19%), Italy (17%) and Germany (16%).
The source dataset is accessible here.
This news item marks World Teachers' Day, celebrated each year on 5 October.
For more information:
- Eurostat Statistics Explained articles on education and training
- Eurostat database on education and training
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