Women outnumber men among teachers for the first time
In November 2005 2,414 staff members were employed in upper secondary schools in Iceland. This personnel held 2,435 full-time equivalent jobs in 36 institutions. For comparison in February 2000 there were 2,109 staff members in upper secondary schools holding 2,267 full-time equivalent jobs in 35 institutions. The number of women has increased year by year and in November 2005 they comprise 57% of all staff holding 52% of full-time equivalent jobs. In February 2000 women were 52% of all staff holding 46% of all full-time equivalent jobs.

When looking at teaching personnel only, the change is even more dramatic. In February 2000 women teachers were 44% of all teaching staff but in November 2005 the number has increased to 52%. This change is about 8 percentage points.

Teachers are getting older
Teachers are getting older and the largest age group is 50-59 years old. This is about 32% of all personnel who undertook any teaching activities in November 2005. In the academic year 1999-2000 most teachers were between 40-49 years of age or about 33% of all staff involved in teaching. In this period, i.e. from February 2000 until November 2005, we have seen that the number of teachers 50 years old and older has increased by six percentage points, i.e. from 39% of all teachers in February 2000 to 45% in November 2005.

Teaching staff in pre-primary and compulsory schools
From the year 2000 to 2005 the number of teachers has also increased in pre-primary and compulsory schools in Iceland. A total of 10,800 teaching personnel worked in 10,100 full-time equivalent jobs in the autumn of 2005 in pre-primary, compulsory and upper secondary schools. The age of pre-primary and compulsory school teachers is also increasing but they are still younger on average than teachers at the upper secondary level. At all school levels the proportion of teachers having a tertiary qualification has increased and more teaching personnel have a teaching licence in 2005 than in 2000. The proportion of teachers with a teaching licence is highest in compulsory schools, where almost 87% of teachers hold a teaching licence. At all school levels there are more teachers working at least one full-time job in 2005 than there were in 2000. Teachers’ turnover rate is decreasing and is lower among teachers in compulsory schools and upper secondary schools than in pre-primary schools. More than 70% of new teacher graduates start teaching directly after graduation. The proportion is greatest among pre-primary teachers, more than 81%, but a little lower among compulsory school teachers, or almost 76%. More than 86% of pre-primary school teachers who graduated 5 years ago are teaching in the autumn of 2005, compared to almost 70% of compulsory school teachers and more than 54% of subject teachers. More information on teachers can be obtained from the statistical series Hagtíðindi, published September 1st  2006.

About the data
Data on personnel in schools at the upper secondary level come from the schools and the State Accounting Office. The data include all personnel who were employed by schools at the upper secondary level in November 2004 and November 2005. Data for these two years are now published for the first time. Teaching staff includes everyone who undertook any teaching activities at the time when the data were collected. Teachers who did not teach during these months, e.g. were on leave, are not included in the data on teachers. However, they are counted among all staff members if they received salary during the reference period. Education refers to the highest level of education attained.

Teachers in pre-primary, compulsory and upper secondary schools 2000-2005 - Statistical Series