Poland faces teacher shortages and aging workforce

Data from the Polish Ministry of National Education reveals significant demographic trends and staffing challenges within the country's education system. Currently, there are 701,120 teachers working in Poland, with a strong female majority comprising 84.2% of the workforce. The gender gap is most pronounced in preschools, where women make up 98% of staff.

The teaching profession is also seeing an increase in age. The average age of a teacher is approximately 47 years, with women averaging 46.5 and men 48.6. This represents a steady rise compared to 2012, when the average ages were 41.5 for women and 43 for men.

Staffing shortages remain a critical issue. As of late September 2026, there were 6,519 job offers listed in the Ministry's database. Earlier in the summer, records showed over 15,000 job offers covering nearly 11,000 vacant positions. High demand exists for various roles, including preschool educators, psychologists, mathematicians, and teachers of English and Polish.