Number of classroom teachers in primary education in Ireland
Ireland: Number of classroom teachers in primary education was 42,162 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
42,162
Change on year
up 3.2%
World rank
31st
of 71 countries
All-time high
42,162
in 2023
All-time low
13,060
in 1976
Years of data
40
1975–2023
Number of classroom teachers in primary education in Ireland, 1975–2023
Source: UNICEF.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of classroom teachers in primary education in Ireland is 42,162, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 3.2% on the previous year and up 30.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of classroom teachers in primary education in Ireland peaked at 42,162 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 13,060, in 1976.
That places Ireland 31st out of 71 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 40 years of available data.
Number of classroom teachers in primary education in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 13,397 | — |
| 1976 | 13,060 | -2.5% |
| 1977 | 13,076 | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 13,242 | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 13,803 | +4.2% |
| 1980 | 14,233 | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 14,636 | +2.8% |
| 1982 | 14,829 | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 15,117 | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 15,484 | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 15,521 | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 15,674 | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 15,852 | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 15,880 | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 15,393 | -3.1% |
| 1990 | 15,513 | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 15,614 | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 15,775 | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 16,212 | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 16,212 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 16,339 | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 16,311 | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 16,202 | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 18,002 | +11.1% |
| 1999 | 21,148 | +17.5% |
| 2001 | 21,865 | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 22,979 | +5.1% |
| 2003 | 23,972 | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 24,792 | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 25,416 | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 26,833 | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 29,852 | +11.3% |
| 2008 | 30,697 | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 31,549 | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 32,043 | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 32,848 | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 32,267 | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 39,152 | +21.3% |
| 2022 | 40,865 | +4.4% |
| 2023 | 42,162 | +3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13,316 | 13,060 | 13,803 | 5 |
| 1980s | 15,262 | 14,233 | 15,880 | 10 |
| 1990s | 16,733 | 15,513 | 21,148 | 10 |
| 2000s | 26,439 | 21,865 | 31,549 | 9 |
| 2010s | 32,386 | 32,043 | 32,848 | 3 |
| 2020s | 40,726 | 39,152 | 42,162 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More education data for Ireland
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) -0.9368 % change on previous year (2022)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 35,618 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 6,544 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 134,541 (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 0.1981 % change on previous year (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 112,690 (2022)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) -2.26 % change on previous year (2022)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of classroom teachers in primary education in Ireland?
- Number of classroom teachers in primary education in Ireland was 42,162 in 2023, according to UNICEF.
- What is the highest number of classroom teachers in primary education recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 42,162 in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of classroom teachers in primary education recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 13,060 in 1976.
- How does Ireland rank for number of classroom teachers in primary education?
- Ireland ranks 31st out of 71 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of classroom teachers in primary education rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Number of classroom teachers in primary education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 40 observations, free to reuse under UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required).