“Teachers are passionate, but the system is broken. Until that changes, more of us will walk away,”
Danielle Carrigan a former primary school teacher turned entrepreneur. Her words are more than a personal lament—they’re an alarm bell for anyone invested in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4: Quality Education.
Education is the backbone of sustainable development, underpinning progress in health, gender equality, economic growth, and more. Yet, the UK’s teaching profession is in freefall. Teachers are leaving at unprecedented rates, with burnout, systemic inefficiencies, and a lack of support driving them out of classrooms and into entirely new careers.
If this trend continues, it won’t just be schools that suffer—it will be the broader vision of a sustainable, equitable world.
SDG 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all by 2030. But how can this goal be realised when the UK—and much of the world—faces a teaching shortage? A report by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) paints a grim picture: recruitment targets are being missed year after year, and a staggering number of new teachers leave the profession within five years.
Teachers like Danielle, who left after nearly two decades, cite an unbearable workload, lack of autonomy, and insufficient professional support as key reasons for exiting. She shared her story on Lea Turner’s The HoLT Podcast, describing how systemic burnout drove her to leave the classroom and build a thriving virtual assistant business. Her journey highlights the disconnect between the passion teachers bring to their work and the systems that grind them down.
Why Teaching Matters for Global Progress
Teachers are the linchpin of SDG 4, but their impact ripples across nearly every other goal:
- SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being): Teachers play a critical role in educating children about health and wellness, but when they face burnout and mental health challenges themselves, their ability to model and impart these lessons is compromised.
- SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Teachers are often frontline advocates for empowering girls, challenging stereotypes, and promoting gender equity in schools. Without sufficient support, these critical roles are left unfulfilled.
- SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Education is a cornerstone of economic opportunity. Yet, the exodus of teachers suggests the profession itself fails to meet the standards of decent work.
- SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Education is the great equalizer, but systemic issues in teaching threaten to widen existing inequalities rather than reduce them.
Can the System Be Fixed?
It’s not just about keeping teachers in classrooms—it’s about transforming the system to make teaching a viable, fulfilling career. The EPI highlights that money alone won’t solve the problem. Teachers aren’t leaving because they’re underpaid; they’re leaving because they’re overworked, under-appreciated, and disempowered.
Initiatives like Now Teach offer a glimmer of hope by attracting professionals from other fields to teaching. But even highly qualified individuals are vulnerable to the same systemic flaws. As the EPI notes, the question isn’t whether teachers are working hard—it’s whether they’re working smart.
Danielle echoed this sentiment, describing teaching as “a battle I couldn’t win.” She advocated for reform that prioritises professional autonomy, reduces unnecessary workloads, and fosters a culture of support and collaboration—principles aligned with the transformative ethos of the SDGs.
The SDGs are a roadmap for a better world, but without robust education systems, that vision falters. The UK’s teacher crisis is a microcosm of a global challenge. Across the world, educators are leaving, classrooms are emptying, and the promise of equitable, quality education is slipping away.
If we’re serious about achieving the SDGs, it’s time for governments, policymakers, and global institutions to take action. This isn’t just about saving the teaching profession—it’s about safeguarding the future of our societies, economies, and planet.
Danielle’s story serves as both a warning and an opportunity. Teachers are passionate, resourceful, and dedicated—but they can’t sustain the system alone. The question now is whether we’ll listen before it’s too late. The clock is ticking, not just for classrooms, but for the SDGs themselves.
