Pingtung County faces teacher shortage as school year begins

As the new school year approaches on August 31, Pingtung County in Taiwan is grappling with a significant shortage of substitute teachers, with 22 positions still unfilled in its junior high and primary schools. The situation has become so acute that some schools have conducted up to 12 recruitment drives without managing to find suitable candidates to fill the vacancies.

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We will do our utmost to ensure teaching quality and protect students' right to education.

The Pingtung County Government's Department of Education reported that 17 substitute teacher positions remain open for junior high schools and 5 for primary schools. The department emphasized its commitment to ensuring the quality of education and protecting students' right to learn. Schools are continuing their recruitment efforts, with final selection operations expected to conclude soon.

To address any remaining vacancies, the education department has outlined contingency plans. These include assigning teachers with specialized skills within the school to cover classes, hiring retired teachers, or bringing in substitute teachers from outside the school. The department is actively monitoring the situation and utilizing the "Higher Education Talent Portal" to match potential teachers with available positions, aiming to ensure all classes are staffed before the academic year commences.

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If the vacancies are not filled, schools will use teachers within the school with specialized expertise to cover courses, or hire retired teachers, or school-external substitute teachers to teach at the school.

The teacher shortage is partly attributed to a nationwide trend of teachers retiring. In Pingtung County alone, 61 junior high teachers and 181 primary and kindergarten teachers retired this year, contributing to an increase in vacancies for both full-time and substitute positions over the past three years. The department stressed its ongoing support for substitute teachers through internal teaching research meetings, peer collaboration, and mentorship programs to maintain teaching quality and ensure students' educational rights are upheld.

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The department continues to monitor the dynamics of vacancies in each school, using the 'Higher Education Talent Portal' to match teachers to schools for employment and cross-school support, ensuring all courses are fully staffed before the start of school and that courses proceed smoothly.