“If they weren’t there, schools would collapse”: Sarafinas on what’s holding up the education system

Lithuania's education system is struggling with a critical shortage and aging demographic of teachers, threatening its ability to provide quality education, according to G. Sarafinas. While school buildings and technology are rated a 7 out of 10 in readiness, the teacher shortage scores a 6, and the age of educators pulls the overall readiness down to a 4.

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If they weren't there to substitute, to help, we would face a collapse.

Over the past 15 years, the average age of teachers in Lithuania has risen by six years, from 45 in 2011 to 51 today. This national average is even higher in public schools, reaching 53 years, and in some municipalities, the average age of teachers is as high as 59. Sarafinas noted that approximately 11% of current teachers are seniors who have come out of retirement to help fill gaps. "If they weren't there to substitute, to help, we would face a collapse," he stated, emphasizing their crucial role in maintaining the system.

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The teaching profession is eternal, because no living person can be replaced.

Despite these concerning trends, Sarafinas described the teaching profession as "eternal" and "meaningful," emphasizing that human interaction cannot be replaced. He also pointed to its potential as a "perspective" career, predicting increasing demand for teachers, especially those qualified in multiple subjects like math and physics, or history and geography. "If you are a good teacher... you will be in demand and earn well," he added, noting that while salaries are not yet optimal, they are rising.

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Third, it is perspective, because teachers will be needed more and more as time goes on.

However, the demanding workload is deterring young people from entering the profession. Many teachers are overworked, often teaching 33 or 36 hours per week instead of the optimal 24, leading to burnout. This visible exhaustion discourages aspiring educators. Sarafinas criticized the state's insufficient efforts, such as the introduction of additional scholarships for pedagogy students, stating that more comprehensive systemic solutions are needed to address the teacher shortage effectively across different municipalities.

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Optimal workload would be 24 contact hours per week, but most teachers have significantly more hours because there are not enough of them.