Ongoing delays in teacher hiring is a growing concern. In the past, schools typically completed all hiring prior to the start of the school year. Now, many are still recruiting teachers after classes have begun, reflecting a serious phenomenon: a lack of new talent in education.
The proportion of teachers younger than 40 has fallen by 50 percent over the past decade, according to statistics. Many young people are not enthusiastic about the stability and ideals associated with teaching, and are instead turning to industries that offer higher pay and more flexible career development.
To fill this gap, some schools have been forced to ask teachers to take on extra classes, teach multiple subjects and even work for continuous periods, far beyond their standard hours. Such practices have become commonplace. As a result, the quality of instruction has fallen.
Education should be the foundation for nurturing the next generation, but rigid systems and changes in the work environment have made that difficult.
The instability is not simply a matter of insufficient personnel; rather, it is a result of long-term structural imbalances. The current hiring system is hardly appealing to young teachers. The probationary, substitute and part-time appointment mechanisms make it difficult for teachers to achieve career stability. In addition, the sharp decline in student enrollment, coupled with frequent school district mergers and reductions in available teaching positions, has discouraged many young people with a passion for education from pursuing a teaching career.
At the same time, an increase in administrative burdens and pressure from parents has eroded teachers’ professional dignity. This is particularly true in an atmosphere that treats teaching like the service industry and educators are expected to take on multiple roles — counselor, customer service representative and administrative assistant — yet rarely receive corresponding support.
As policy demands and social expectations make teaching a high-pressure profession, it is natural that fewer people would be interested in the field, and veteran teachers would be expected to fill in the gaps. With teaching losing its appeal, Taiwan faces a fundamental challenge in cultivating new talent.
Another problem is the complaint and investigation mechanisms. Many campus disputes must be handled through school affairs meetings, overwhelming administrators and teachers with the investigation process, and even creating a culture of whistle-blowing. The mechanisms were intended to uphold fairness and transparency, but, in practice, they have cast a shadow of distrust over the field of education.
When teachers worry that even a single remark could be misinterpreted, their creativity and flexibility are severely constrained. Campuses should be spaces for rational and human-centered dialogue, but they are being forced into a model of legalistic and bureaucratic governance.
The atmosphere not only diminishes teachers’ enthusiasm for their jobs, but also makes students indirect victims of systemic pressure.
Educational reform must strike a balance between protecting students’ rights and preserving teachers’ dignity, establishing a campus culture that is based on trust and professionalism.
Under the current circumstances, the education does not just need to hire more staff or raise salaries — it needs a comprehensive systemic and cultural transformation.
The government should review the teacher training and appointment system, and design clear pathways for career development and professional support systems for young teachers, so that teaching can become a sustainable, long-term profession.
Campus governance should shift from a punishment-oriented approach to one focused on guidance and restoration, establishing transparent, yet flexible, investigation mechanisms to reduce excessive administrative interference in professional teaching.
Education is at the heart of society. If teachers cannot receive respect and support, any educational reform would risk becoming empty rhetoric. Only by allowing teachers to return to the essence of education and restoring trust in the profession can we reverse the shortage of qualified teachers and once again make education a career that young people are willing to dedicate themselves to.
Roger Lo is a freelancer.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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