Good news for those at the (virtual) chalkface - the UK is in second place when it comes to global respect for teachers.
In a survey of 22,000 people across 17 countries by YouGov, it was found that Australia had the most respect for the teaching profession, with the UK coming in at a close second place.
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Meanwhile, Poland and Mexico were found to have the least respect for the profession.
From 13 November to 1 December 2020, respondents were asked: “Outside of the coronavirus pandemic, generally speaking, would you be happy or unhappy if one of your children held this kind of job? If you don’t have children, imagine that you did.”
Teachers ‘are well respected in the UK’
In Australia, 70 per cent of respondents said they would be happy if their child went into teaching, while just 5 per cent would be unhappy, resulting in a net satisfaction score of 65 per cent.
And in the UK, 68 per cent of respondents said they would be happy and just 5 per cent said they would be unhappy, resulting in a net score of 63 per cent - putting the UK in joint second place with China.
In Germany, 70 per cent reported they would be happy with this choice, but 9 per cent said they would be unhappy, leaving it with a net score of 60 per cent.
However, there were low levels of respect for the profession in Poland and Mexico.
Mexico had a net score of 17 per cent after just 37 per cent of people said they would be happy, while 20 per cent said they would be unhappy.
And Poland’s net score was just 15 per cent, with 44 per cent saying they would be happy and nearly one in three people - 29 per cent - saying they would be unhappy.
This suggests that out of countries worldwide, teachers in the UK are held in particularly high regard.
Matt Smith, head of data journalism at YouGov, said: “New YouGov research shows that Australians hold school teachers in highest esteem in an international survey of 16 countries. In joint second place are the UK and China, closely followed by Germany. Mexico and Poland are the least respectful.
“Although being a school teacher is a highly respected profession in the UK when compared to other countries, Britons respect some professions further still, including doctors and nurses, senior managers at big firms and graphic designers.”
The net scores are listed below:
- Australia: 65 per cent
- UK and China: 63 per cent
- Germany: 60 per cent
- Italy: 58 per cent
- Singapore: 55 per cent
- Indonesia: 54 per cent
- Sweden: 53 per cent
- India (urban), the UAE and the US: 51 per cent
- Spain: 47 per cent
- France: 46 per cent
- Denmark: 45 per cent
- Mexico: 17 per cent
- Poland: 15 per cent
