A disturbing picture has emerged in Scotland regarding teachers leaving the profession. According to new research, increasing workload, large classes, aggressive student behavior, and insufficient support for teachers are driving educators away from the profession.
AzEdu.az reports, citing foreign media, that in Scotland, 2,081 teachers left their jobs within the first five years after starting the profession between 2018 and 2025.
In 2025 alone, this figure reached a record high of 408 people.
A study conducted by the University of the West of Scotland interviewed 58 teachers who had left the profession or significantly reduced their working hours. Many of them stated that they loved teaching but could no longer withstand the pressure created by the working conditions.
The study noted long working hours, excessive workload, aggressive behavior in classrooms, and insufficient support from management among the main dissatisfactions of teachers.
Teacher unions state that the situation has already turned into a “recruitment and retention crisis.” The Scottish government, however, announced that it is taking measures to increase teacher salaries, reduce contact hours with classes, and strengthen the employment of new teachers.
The new research, however, shows that the problem is not only related to teacher shortages but also to the conditions for keeping them in the profession.
