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The 15th International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) kicks off today in Reykjavík, Iceland, bringing together education ministers and leaders of teachers’ unions from 24 countries and jurisdictions.

The Summit provides a unique global forum for genuine dialogue between governments and the teaching profession on how to strengthen public education systems and ensure quality education for all.

Co-hosted by the Icelandic Government, the Icelandic Teachers’ Union (Kennarasamband Íslands), Education International (EI), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), ISTP 2025 opens as public education around the world face mounting pressures—from chronic underfunding and widespread teacher shortages to growing inequality and increasing threats to democratic principles.

This year’s Summit puts the spotlight on Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), widely recognised as the foundation of strong and equitable public education systems. Yet, despite broad consensus on its importance, ECEC remains underfunded, fragmented, and increasingly privatised, leaving millions of children—especially those in disadvantaged communities—out of quality early learning.

Speaking at the opening, EI President Mugwena Maluleke called for bold action: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children,” Maluleke stated, quoting Nelson Mandela. “Yet, early childhood education remains underfunded, inaccessible to many, and marked by low salaries, poor working conditions and widespread teacher shortages. “

Maluleke urged governments to guarantee free, quality early childhood education and to tackle the structural conditions that undermine the profession. This commitment, he said, “requires fair salaries, secure jobs, improved working conditions for teachers, and substantial investment in their professional development.”

EI Deputy General Secretary Haldis Holst echoed this message: “The early childhood education workforce—predominantly women—faces low pay, low status, and limited professional recognition. At ISTP 2025, we are demanding fair compensation, equal treatment, and a commitment to gender pay equity across all levels of education.”

She added: “Teacher well-being is a prerequisite for quality education. We must ensure that policies address mental, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being as core dimensions of the profession.”

Holst also called on all governments to honour international recommendations, including the UN recommendations on the teaching profession, which affirm that salaries and benefits for all teachers, including ECE educators, must align with those of other professions requiring similar qualifications.

Broadening the dialogue: Well-being, autonomy, and student agency

Alongside early childhood education, ISTP 2025 also addresses how to support teacher well-being, and foster student agency and democratic participation.

EI’s General Secretary David Edwards underscored the need to address the global teacher shortage by placing teacher well-being at the centre of education policy: “Governments must act now to reverse the global teacher shortage and end precarious employment. Every student deserves to be taught by a well-trained, well-supported teacher in a fully funded public education system. This is a fundamental investment in democracy, social cohesion, and prosperity.”

As EI has consistently stated, there can be no quality education without investing in teachers. The Summit offers a space for collaborative solutions, but its true impact will depend on governments turning dialogue into action.

The opening session of ISTP 2025 livestream is available here.

For further background, Education International’s policy briefing for ISTP 2025 provides analysis and recommendations. EI has also developed guidance on implementing the United Nations recommendations on the teaching profession, with dedicated resources for early childhood education and teacher well-being.