Licensing teachers: a global policy lever for educational quality and professionalism

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Kyle

Global teacher shortages and retention pressures undermine the sustainability of education outcomes. The report examines teacher licensing practices worldwide and how licensing functions as a policy lever to improve education quality, equity, and professionalism. It reviews definitions, key trends, rationales, challenges, and implications for system design, then develops evidence-led recommendations grounded in ten detailed jurisdictional case studies.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Executive summary

Introduction

What is teacher licensing?

Approach

Key trends and policy rationales

Challenges and critiques

Implications for ‘system design’

Teacher professional development: global insights and principles

Case studies

United States – decentralised diversity in a federated system

United Kingdom – devolution and divergence in teacher licensing

Ghana – raising teacher quality through licensing in a low-income context

Saudi Arabia – reforming teacher licensing for workforce professional standards

Qatar – Early adoption of licensing with implementation learning

Vietnam – centralised and descentralised balancing with subsidised teacher training

Singapore – high trust, high standards, and global excellence

Estonia – rigorous entry, professional trust, and systemic coherence

Finland – professional trust and rigorous initial education

South Africa – balancing regulation, equity, and legacy challenges in teacher licensing

Permanent versus renewable licensing: balancing trust, accountability, and professional growth

Conceptualising policy dimensions in teacher licensing reform

Policy implications and recommendations

References

Research Licensing teachers: a global policy lever for educational quality and professionalism Dr Richard Churches, Rachael Fitzpatrick, Codie Chaudoin, Ella Page, Catherine Lenahan, Grace Cox, and Marion Smallbones Licensing teachers: a global policy lever for educational quality and professionalism Dr Richard Churches,1 Rachael Fitzpatrick,2 Codie Chaudoin,3 Ella Page,4 Catherine Lenahan, 5 Grace Cox,6 and Marion Smallbones 7 1 Dr Richard Churches is global Director of Research at edt. 2 Rachael Fitzpatrick is Head of Research at edt. Her doctoral research explores the education system in Vietnam. 3 Codie Chaudoin is an American educator with experience in a wide range of school leadership positions, including deployment by the US State Department in the Middle East. She is currently Vice Principal (Academics) at George Washington Academy in Casablanca. 4 Ella Page is a Senior Research Officer at edt. Her research interests include education system transformation with a focus on equity. 5 Catherine Lenahan is Senior Research Officer, Literacy at edt. 6 Grace Cox is a Research Officer at edt. 7 Marion Smallbones is Lead Adviser, Insights and Innovation at edt. [01. edt.org](01. edt.org) Contents 03 Executive summary 07 Introduction 08 What is teacher licensing? 09 Approach 11 The importance of getting teacher licensing right 11 Understanding teacher licensing as a policy lever 12 Comparative typologies of teacher licensing systems 13 Key trends and policy rationales 14 Challenges and critiques 15 Implications for ‘system design’ 15 Teacher professional development: global insights and principles 17 Case studies 19 United States – decentralised diversity in a federated system 21 United Kingdom – devolution and divergence in teacher licensing 23 Ghana – raising teacher quality through licensing in a low-income context 25 Saudi Arabia – reforming teacher licensing for workforce professional standards 27 Qatar – Early adoption of licensing with implementation learning 29 Vietnam – centralised and descentralised balancing with subsidised teacher training 31 Singapore – high trust, high standards, and global excellence 33 Estonia – rigorous entry, professional trust, and systemic coherence 35 Finland – professional trust and rigorous initial education 37 South Africa – balancing regulation, equity, and legacy challenges in teacher licensing 39 Permanent versus renewable licensing: balancing trust, accountability, and professional growth 41 Conceptualising policy dimensions in teacher licensing reform 43 Policy implications and recommendations 45 References 02. Executive summary Global teacher shortages and trends in retention threaten the achievement of sustainability in education (UNESCO and International Task Force on Teachers for Education 2030, 2024). This edt report aims to contribute to that debate by examining teacher licensing practice across the world and the options available to policymakers. Our report explores teacher licensing as a global policy lever capable of driving systemic improvements in education quality, equity, and professionalism. Alongside a global review, we include detailed case studies from ten jurisdictions – the United States, the United Kingdom, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Singapore, Vietnam, Estonia, Finland, and South Africa. Teacher licensing refers to the formal process through which individuals are authorised to teach, typically involving qualification verification, competency assessment, and, in some systems, ongoing renewal requirements. Though commonly overlooked in global reform discourse, licensing can serve as a potent mechanism to establish minimum standards, support professional development, and elevate the status of teaching – when designed and implemented as part of a coherent policy framework. [03. edt.org](03. edt.org) 04. Key findings Policy recommendations for governments and educatio

FAQs

What does teacher licensing mean in this report?

Teacher licensing is the formal process authorising individuals to teach, usually including qualification verification, competency assessment, and in some systems ongoing renewal requirements.

How is teacher licensing positioned as a policy lever?

The report argues licensing can drive systemic improvements by setting minimum standards, supporting professional development, and elevating the status of teaching when designed within a coherent policy framework.

What are the major types of teacher licensing systems identified?

The report groups licensing into centralised high-trust systems, decentralised models, and emerging mixed systems that arise as countries reform and develop licensing processes.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Kyle