OECD is releasing today the results from the world's largest survey of teachers' working conditions: Talis (Teaching and learning survey). In the 2024 edition, 280,000 upper secondary school teachers and principals from around the world have participated, including the Nordic countries.
Against the background of the negative headlines that schools often receive, Talis provides a possibly surprising message. The international report, which TT has taken part of, shows that 92 percent of Swedish teachers in upper secondary school are satisfied with their job. Job satisfaction is at the same high level as the OECD average and as in Talis 2018.
Want to stay
Another positive indication in Talis is the relatively low proportion of young teachers (under 30 years) who think they will seek to leave the profession within a few years. In Sweden, the proportion is just under 10 percent, in OECD countries on average 20 percent.
However, some of the teacher education programs in Sweden have had difficulty filling the places and are likely linked to the profession's status. In Talis, only 15 percent of teachers think that the profession is highly valued in society.
Not surprisingly, teachers also testify to stress. About 20 percent of Swedish upper secondary school teachers are very stressed, the same proportion as in the previous measurement and the same as the OECD average.
What primarily creates stress is when administrative tasks pile up. Grading exams and adapting teaching for students in need of extra support also creates stress.
Disruptive students
The Talis report also shows that a relatively large proportion of Swedish teachers consider that they have students with special needs. At the same time, every third newly graduated teacher reports that teacher education has not given them sufficient knowledge and skills in pedagogy.
As many as 98 percent of Swedish teachers think that they and the students get along well for the most part. But noise and unrest in the classroom are a continued problem: 17 percent of teachers report that they lose quite a lot of teaching time due to this.
At 9 o'clock, the National Agency for Education will present its report, based on the Swedish results.
Anna Lena Wallström/TT
Facts: Talis
TT
Talis stands for Teaching and learning survey.
OECD is responsible for the survey as a whole. The National Agency for Education is responsible for the Swedish part.
Talis is conducted at regular five-year intervals. The second most recent was conducted in 2018, the most recent in 2024 (a one-year delay due to the pandemic.)
Source: OECD/National Agency for Education
