With teaching jobs apparently scarce in many parts of Canada, the idea of a global teacher shortage at the primary levels, at least, may seem surprising, but that is precisely what the Unesco Institute for Statistics announced two years ago. According to their study, “chronic shortages of teachers will persist beyond 2015 for decades to come if current trends continue. In total, the world will need an extra 3.3 million primary teachers and 5.1 million lower secondary teachers in classrooms by 2030 to provide all children with basic education.” Newly graduating Canadian teachers may take some comfort in the numbers. North America and Europe are predicted to need 237,000 new teachers by 2020 and additional 256,000 by 2015.  Overall, 3.3 million teachers will be needed at the primary levels alone, to achieve universal primary education by 2030.