Panelists recognized the interconnected nature of these imperatives and stressed the necessity for comprehensive national teacher policies that address them collectively. Quality initial teacher training and ongoing professional development emerged as pivotal factors for both enhancing teacher quality and ensuring sustainability. Well-prepared teachers not only exhibit higher self-efficacy but also tend to stay in the profession longer.

During the meeting, Education International and other stakeholders advocated for ending the use of under-qualified contract teachers. Instead, governments were urged to invest in securing qualified, high-status teachers who have stable employment contracts and favorable working conditions. The central theme was the importance of investing in the teaching profession as a crucial prerequisite for sustainable improvements in teacher quality and fostering an environment conducive to innovation.

Representatives from teacher unions, including those from various Arab countries like Lebanon, highlighted the need for governments to actively address gender disparities in school leadership positions. They emphasized the importance of dismantling barriers that hinder access to promotions for female educators. Additionally, they underscored the significance of forward-looking workforce planning to combat teacher shortages and promote teacher diversity.

This meeting sets the stage for further discussions, with the in-person meeting in New York in mid-September focusing on drafting recommendations for the UN Summit of the Future.