In December 2022 there were 1,581 licenced pre-primary school teachers in pre-primary schools in Iceland. In addition, there were 210 other licenced teachers in pre-primary schools. In total, licenced teachers were 26.6% of staff working in education and child-care in December 2022, a slightly lower share than in the previous year. There were 1,060 staff members in education and child-care with other pedagogical education, while unskilled staff was more than half (57.6%) of staff working in education and child-care in December 2022.
One in eight staff members in education and child-care has completed a Master’s degree
Statistics Iceland now publishes more detailed information than before about staff in education and child-care in pre-primary schools with tertiary education, showing tertiary education by degree. In December 2022 a total of 35.0% of staff in education and child-care had a basic diploma at the tertiary level and 12.0% had a master’s degree or higher education. More than one-half of staff (53.0%) had education at the upper secondary level or at a lower level. The corresponding numbers for compulsory education show that 63.2% of teaching staff in October 2022 had a basic diploma at the tertiary level and 31.4% had a master’s degree or higher education.
The proportion of teachers with at least a master’s degree was higher among headmasters (42.1%) than among assistant headmasters (28.7%) and teachers and department heads (10.2%). A master’s degree is now a requirement to get a licence to teach in pre-primary education, but older licences are still valid.
There were 7,119 staff members working in pre-primary schools in December 2022, 225 (3.3%) more than in the previous year; the same proportional increase as among pre-school children. The number of full-time equivalent staff increased by 4.0% and was 6,274.
More than half of pre-school teachers are over the age of 50
More than half (51.4%) of pre-school teachers is 50 years old or older, and the proportion of pre-school teachers in this age group has increased rapidly in recent years. In 2004, 30-49 year old teachers were over 70% of all teachers, but their share had dropped to 46.7% in 2022. With an increase in the requirements to become a teacher, the number of teachers in the youngest age group had dropped to only 2.0% of teachers in the autumn of 2022. These numbers only refer to teachers educated as pre-primary teachers, not to other licenced teachers working in pre-primary schools.
More males working in pre-primary schools than before
There were 611 male staff members in pre-primary schools in December 2022, 8.6% of all staff. This is the highest number of male staff so far. In 1999 there were 70 males working in pre-primary schools in Iceland.
More than 260 pre-primary schools operating
There were 264 pre-primary schools operating in Iceland in December 2022, four more than in the previous year. A total of 221 schools were operated by the municipalities while 43 schools were run by others.