New edition of our UNESCO eAtlas of Teachers

The international community has pledged to have all children and youth in school and learning by 2030 as part of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). Yet according to estimates by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), about 617 million – or six out of ten – children and adolescents worldwide are unable to meet minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics.

The data underscore the urgent need to ensure that there are enough trained teachers to meet the needs of all children, while improving the classroom conditions they face. 

To mark World Teachers Day, the UIS has released a new edition of its eAtlas of Teachers, which presents a wide range of data and indicators based on results of the Institute’s annual education survey involving more than 200 countries and territories. Available in English, French and Spanish, the eAtlas lets readers explore the working conditions and training of teachers at the global, regional and country levels.  

The theme of World Teachers’ Day 2017 is “Teaching in Freedom, Empowering Teachers”. With the adoption of SDG 4, and the dedicated Target 4.c recognising teachers as key to the achievement of the 2030 Education Agenda, it has become the occasion to mark achievements and reflect on ways to counter the remaining challenges for the promotion of the teaching profession.