Investment in education is stabilising as Europe seeks to make the teaching profession more attractive

Now that pupils and teachers across Europe are returning to the classroom, the Commission is publishing its report ‘Investing in Education 2026’.

The 2026 edition provides an overview of recent trends in investment in education across the EU and examines the factors associated with the attractiveness of the teaching profession. This issue is particularly relevant, as staff costs account for the largest category of public expenditure on education in EU countries, and teachers play a vital role in ensuring the quality and resilience of education systems.

The report analyses recent and long-term trends in public spending on education, at both national and EU level, and compares them with public spending in other policy areas. The findings for 2026 show that investment in education in the EU is stabilising, although it remains below pre-pandemic levels as a percentage of total public expenditure. In 2024, EU countries spent, on average, 4.8 per cent of GDP on education, accounting for 9.7 per cent of total public expenditure, although significant differences remain between Member States. The share of public expenditure accounted for by education remains 0.3 percentage points below its 2019 level.

This year’s edition also highlights the importance of investing in teaching staff. In 2024, 66 per cent of public expenditure on pre-primary and primary educationand 72 per cent on secondary education was allocated to staff costs, mainly teachers and headteachers. Given the current demographic challenges affecting both teaching staff and the school-age population, the report analyses the factors associated with teachers’ willingness to remain in the profession.

Based on data from the OECD’s 2024 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), the report shows that 76.5 per cent of teachers in the EU would choose the profession again, although this percentage has fallen since 2018. Female teachers are more likely to do so than male teachers, whilst the likelihood decreases among teachers with more than 20 years’ experience compared with those at the start of their careers.

The findings highlight that both material and non-material factors influence the attractiveness of the teaching profession. Whilst satisfaction with pay is associated with a greater likelihood of choosing the profession again, supportive working environments, positive perceptions of the profession’s value in society and opportunities for professional collaboration also play an important role. Conversely, work-related stress significantly reduces teachers’ willingness to remain in the profession.

Effective investment to enhance the attractiveness of the teaching profession requires a comprehensive approach. This includes adequate pay, as well as other working conditions and well-being factors, which are not directly linked to pay but which nevertheless have budgetary implications for national spending on education. Whilst competitive salaries can contribute to both recruitment and staff retention, their impact appears limited when they are not accompanied by adequate working conditions and teachers’ wellbeing. More broadly, the findings highlight the need to implement integrated policies that address both the economic and non-economic dimensions of the profession, with a view to strengthening the recruitment and retention of teachers and ensuring sustainable investment in Europe’s human capital.

The Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Employment and Readiness, Roxana Mînzatu, stated:

“Teachers are the backbone of Europe’s education systems, and investing in education means investing in them. This report makes it clear that attracting and retaining teachers is not just about pay. It is also about working conditions, well-being, professional recognition and opportunities for growth throughout a career. At a time when many education systems are facing a shortage of teachers, we must ensure that teaching is a profession that people want to enter, want to stay in, and in which they feel valued. Our forthcoming EU Agenda for Teachers and Trainers, as part of the Skills Union, will help Member States to do exactly that.”

Background

The annual ‘Investing in Education’ report forms part of the public outreach activities of the European Commission’s Learning Lab on Investing in Quality Education and Training, which helps EU countries to further develop a culture of evaluation in education. To this end, it provides relevant knowledge and resources. The report has already become a key reference in the field of investment in education for discussions at both national level and within the European Commission. It was published before the summer to guide policy-makers on investment in education, ahead of the drafting of national budget plans.

 

More information: European Commission