UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed on Friday praised teachers as “guardians of our future” and urged urgent global action to tackle what she called a deepening teacher crisis threatening progress on education targets.
Speaking at the opening of the UNESCO World Summit on Teachers in Santiago, Chile, Mohammed said educators were central to sustainable development, influencing everything from protecting forests to holding peaceful elections.
“We are failing our teachers,” she said, warning of a global shortfall of 44 million teachers needed to meet universal education goals by 2030. She described the gap as “a slow-burning emergency” undermining learning outcomes and widening inequalities.
Mohammed outlined a five-point plan to support teachers, citing low pay, heavy workloads and lack of professional development as key reasons many young educators abandon the profession early.
She said recruiting the required teachers by 2030 would cost about $120 billion a year, but education financing was falling short as many governments spent more on debt interest than on health or schooling.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay also addressed the summit, warning that “no single actor will be able to bridge the gaps” and highlighting challenges ranging from low salaries and delayed pay to gender inequality in STEM fields.
“Aid to education is projected to fall by 25% between 2023 and 2027,” Mohammed said, adding, “Ultimately, we are asking the impossible of teachers: to build the future without the tools, trust and conditions they need.”
