RIGA, Oct 7 (LETA) - Although only 39 percent of teachers in Latvia are satisfied with their pay, the share of satisfied teachers has increased by 17 percentage points since 2018, according to the preliminary results of the TALIS 2024 (Teaching and Learning International Survey).

The majority, 82 percent of the surveyed teachers, are satisfied with other working conditions. The proportion of these teachers has not changed since 2018.

The first results of the survey show that the proportion of Latvian teachers who experience very high stress at work has decreased by eight percentage points in six years, with 14 percent of respondents reporting severe stress at work.

The most frequently cited sources of stress were responsibility for students' performance, meeting the changeable demands of schools, local or national authorities and preparing for lessons.

The survey reveals that 14 percent of teachers feel that their job has a "very negative" impact on their mental health, while 11 percent said their work had a "very negative" impact on their physical health.

Teachers in full time jobs indicated that the number of their weekly working hours is 42.3, which is 1.3 hours more than the OECD average.

The total number of working hours for teachers has not changed since 2018. At the same time, the amount of time spent teaching students and preparing lessons has grown longer by 1.6 hours.

Time spent marking and correcting students' work has increased by 0.5 hours over the six years, and by 0.4 hours for administrative work.

The survey found that 33 percent of teachers work part-time, working up to 90 percent of full-time hours. This figure has not changed since 2018. Young teachers are more likely to work part-time.

In 2024, 96 percent of teachers in Latvia had a permanent job contract. This is three percentage points more than in 2018. New teachers are more likely to have a fixed-term contract than their more experienced colleagues.

The TALIS 2024 surveyed teachers and principals on the development of the teaching profession, working conditions, teaching practices, the use of technology and socio-emotional teaching, as well as on teachers' wellbeing and plans for the future.

The fourth cycle of the TALIS 2024 ran from 2021 to 2025, with the main data collection phase taking place last spring. This cycle focused on four educational aspects: diversity and equity, the use of technology, social-emotional learning and sustainability education. It also looked at three large topics - teacher learning and development, everyday working practices and professional perceptions, and school learning environments.

In total, 54 countries took part in the study, surveying teachers of grades 7-9 and their school principals. In Latvia, 215 teachers and 213 school principals participated in the survey.

Latvia has been participating in the study since 2013.