Teachers report high stress due to administrative burden and shifting policies
Belgian teachers experience significantly higher levels of stress than their international peers, mainly due to excessive administrative work and constantly changing government policies. This was revealed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Tuesday.
A striking 70 percent of lower secondary school teachers in Belgium report stress from too much administrative work, far above the OECD average. That is according to the results of the TALIS survey, an international study of teachers and school leaders conducted by the organisation.
The second main source of stress, cited by 59 per cent of respondents, is keeping up with changing policy demands from various authorities. One in five teachers says they experience “a lot” of work-related stress, roughly in line with the OECD average of 19 per cent.
Despite the high stress levels, nine in ten teachers say they are satisfied with their job. Notably, 69 percent of Belgian teachers are satisfied or very satisfied with their salary, compared to only 39 percent on average across the OECD. Satisfaction with pay has risen by five percentage points since 2018.
However, only 15 percent of teachers feel valued by society, compared to 22 percent across the OECD, and just 13 percent believe their input is appreciated by policymakers.
Refocus on teaching
“The findings confirm what we already know. They prove that the policy direction we are taking in Flanders is the right one,” said Flemish Education minister Zuhal Demir. “We now need to push ahead so that teachers can focus on teaching again instead of filling out paperwork or putting out fires.”
The study found that in Flemish primary schools, just 34 minutes of a 50-minute class are spent on teaching and learning, down from nearly 40 minutes ten years ago. On average, nine minutes are lost to discipline issues and seven to administrative tasks.
That is why Demir wants to focus on restoring order and calm in classrooms. “Teachers are good at maintaining discipline, but they still lose a lot of class time dealing with behavioural issues,” she said. The minister also wants to tackle the high administrative burden for Flemish teachers.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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