France is facing a problem that sounds all too familiar these days: a growing shortage of teachers. The Haut-Commissariat à la Stratégie et au Plan recently published a report on this issue. It has the telling title Enseigner: une vocation à reconstruire, un équilibre à restaurer.

The conclusion is blunt: at the start of the 2024 school year, 3,200 teachers were missing. What used to be temporary pressures, linked to demographics or stricter admission requirements, have now become structural. There are too few candidates, higher attrition during the career, and an increasing reliance on temporary contracts.

And yet, that makes it all the more striking: a qualitative survey shows that 92% of teachers do not regret their choice of profession. The problem is not that teaching has lost its meaning, but that the job has become increasingly difficult to sustain. Low pay, limited career opportunities, lack of recognition, and a constant stream of reforms are eroding enthusiasm.

What makes the report particularly interesting is that it not only provides analysis but also offers clear ways forward. Three major areas stand out:

• Strengthening diversity and entry into the profession. This means widening access to teacher education, offering better support for new teachers, and actively encouraging candidates who are less likely to apply, such as career-changers.

• Restoring workload and sustainability. Less administrative burden, more support, and an organisation of the job that is viable in the long term. It is not just about hours or pay, but about the full set of tasks and expectations.

• Increasing recognition and involvement. Giving teachers more say in reforms, making their expertise visible, and translating appreciation into real career perspectives and autonomy.

Perhaps that is the key message of this plan: education cannot rely solely on vocation. A profession as vital to society as this deserves a solid and sustainable contract. Otherwise, teaching risks becoming a job only for those willing to burn themselves out. That is hardly a model on which to build our future.

P.S. I used AI to help me navigate the two French reports, though I was also relieved to discover that my French was still good enough to notice when the AI wasn’t entirely accurate. Of course, it could also mean I introduced mistakes myself…