As pupils and teachers return to school, the European Commission has published a new report providing an overview of recent developments in education spending across Europe, updated to the latest available data from 2024.
The report ‘Investing in Education 2026′ shows that in 2024, EU countries spent 4.8% of Gross Domestic Product on education, accounting for 9.7% of total public expenditure, although significant differences remain between Member States. While education investment in the EU is stabilising, it remains slightly below pre-pandemic levels as a share of public expenditure (10% in 2019, 9.3% in 2020 and 2021; 9.4% in 2022; 9.6% in 2023).
The report stresses the importance of investing in teachers, who are at the core of our education systems. The findings show that over 3 in 4 teachers (76.5%), if given the choice to choose a new profession, would choose to continue to teach. They indicate that several factors, such as remuneration and professional recognition, play an important role in shaping the attractiveness of the teaching profession.
Salary satisfaction continues to be associated with a higher likelihood of choosing the teaching profession again, alongside other factors such as supportive working environments, positive perceptions of the profession and opportunities for professional collaboration also play an important role. In contrast, workplace stress significantly reduces teachers’ willingness to remain in the profession.
Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness Executive Vice President Roxana Mînzatu said: “Teachers are the backbone of Europe’s education systems, and investing in education means investing in them. This report makes clear that attracting and retaining teachers is not only about salaries. It is also about working conditions, well-being, professional recognition and opportunities to grow throughout a career. At a time when many education systems face teacher shortages, we need to make teaching a profession that people want to join, stay in and feel valued in. Our upcoming EU Teachers and Trainers Agenda, under the Union of Skills, will support Member States in doing exactly that.”
The full report ‘Investing in Education 2026′ is available online.