The Teaching Crisis

Teaching is more than just a career—it's a calling. Teaching offers unique opportunities to inspire, guide, and shape future generations, motivating educators who are passionate about making a difference in the world.

Yet, in 2025, classrooms across the globe are experiencing a pivotal moment — teachers, often hailed as the backbone of society, are quitting in record numbers, and fewer young people are choosing to become educators. According to the Pew Research Centre, only 33% of teachers surveyed are satisfied with their jobs.

Low pay and financial struggles have long been a problem, but rising expectations and the lack of mental health support have made teaching unsustainable for many. Many educators are forced to work second jobs or side hustles outside of the classroom due to stagnant wages. Simultaneously, their workloads have ballooned, with teachers expected to juggle administrative tasks, grading, lesson planning, data analysis, and even counselling students—often without sufficient support.

Compounding this is a pervasive sense of being undervalued, as teachers frequently face public scrutiny and inadequate backing from policymakers and school administrators. Many aspiring educators, as a result, have become discouraged by the public narrative surrounding teaching — dominated by stories of burnout, difficult working conditions, and behavioural challenges.

‍

So, why keep going?

Despite the ongoing crisis, teaching, at its core, taps into something deeply human: the desire to inspire, connect, and help others grow. Many educators do decide to stay in this profession or even resume their teaching career after leaving. 

Here are some compelling reasons why many choose a career in education:

1. Intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation refers to the internal drive that makes you do something because you enjoy it, find it interesting, or value it personally. For teachers, it can be a desire to make a difference in children’s lives or their love for teaching and sharing knowledge. A drive for personal and intellectual growth through years of engaging in the academic field can be equally rewarding for many educators in fields like STEM and research. Most teachers find joy in having the freedom to design their curriculum, with 40% of educators voting it as a top factor that decides where they choose to teach. 

2. Community

Classrooms often become a second home for both students and teachers as they share daily experiences, struggles, and triumphs. Teachers build strong, lasting bonds not only with students but also with colleagues who understand the challenges they face. When surveyed, educators ranked relationships with other teachers at their school as the top reason why they find satisfaction in their career, with relationships with administrators as the second reason and pay as the last. This goes to show that teaching extends beyond the material – educators find fulfillment through interpersonal relationships and a sense of belonging to their school community.

3. The Unspoken Rewards

It’s not the pay rise that drives most teachers — it’s the quiet, unspoken rewards. A student leaves a thank-you note on their desk or what most educators call “the lightbulb moment” is what keeps this industry alive. The heart of education remains in growing the next generation, either teaching them how to build confidence, resolve conflicts, or develop resilience. Teachers know that their influence goes far beyond the classroom walls. These victories, though often unseen by the outside world, are what sustain teachers through long hours, demanding schedules, and the inevitable challenges of the profession. They understand that teaching is about more than delivering content—it’s about changing lives in ways that are immeasurable but deeply meaningful.

‍
How Can We Support Teachers and Keep Them in the Profession?

1. Higher Pay and Financial Incentives
   To make teaching more attractive, salaries need to be competitive with other professions. Offering student loan forgiveness, housing stipends, and performance bonuses can also help retain educators.
2. Reducing Administrative Burdens
   Streamlining administrative tasks and providing teachers with classroom assistants or AI tools allows teachers to dedicate more time to focus on teaching and connecting with their students.
3. Mental Health Support
   Teachers need access to counselling, peer support groups, and resources to help them manage stress and emotional exhaustion. Regular check-ins and improvements in the school’s leadership can encourage open discussions on current struggles and experiences teachers face.
4. Respect and Recognition
   Policymakers, parents, and communities need to shift the narrative around teaching and set boundaries for their educators. Teaching is still regarded as a service, with many parents demanding teachers to communicate and cater to their needs beyond working hours. 
5. Opportunities for Growth
   Teachers should have access to ongoing professional development, leadership roles, and mentorship programs to keep them engaged and motivated. Schools can provide greater flexibility for teachers surrounding their teaching styles, classes and overall method of approaching the syllabus.

In the end, teachers remain some of the most passionate, driven, and empathetic professionals in the world. What they need is support, recognition, and resources to thrive. Beneath the burnout and challenges lies a spark that never really goes away—the love for education and helping others grow.If society invests in teachers the way teachers invest in students, we can reignite that spark and rebuild a profession that is both fulfilling and sustainable. Because deep down, many teachers aren’t quitting because they hate teaching—they’re quitting because the system isn’t letting them succeed. |

What are your thoughts regarding Singapore’s current teaching landscape? How can we improve it?