Australian teachers are ill-equipped to deal with disruptive classroom behaviour, and more than a third of principals report weekly incidents of intimidation or bullying in lower-secondary schools, according to a new Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) education report.
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The latest Education Policy Outlook by the OECD presents a comparative analysis of education policies and reforms in the body's 38 member nations.
The report stated "Australia continues to perform at or above OECD average", but it also highlighted significant room for improvement, most particularly in high levels of teacher attrition.
Younger, female teachers were 63 per cent more likely to quit the profession early, with teachers saying they needed more professional development to help them manage classrooms or student behaviour.
The report highlighted modelling that found Australia will need to find 4100 secondary teachers by 2025 to fill shortages as forecast by the current rate of graduates.
Australian teachers are facing higher-than-average hours and slightly lower wages compared to similarly educated professions, except for principals.
For example, Australian primary teachers worked for 76 more hours a year compared with other OECD nations, at 860 hours, above the average 784 hours.
However, teachers still held high levels of job satisfaction and felt the profession was valued in society.
More than 82 per cent of teachers staid they would still become a teacher, if they had to choose their careers again.
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"Students in Australia view their teachers positively and teachers themselves have comparatively high levels of job satisfaction," the report stated.
"Nevertheless, learning environments are comparatively less favourable in terms of disciplinary climate, intimidation or bullying, and student truancy.
"Quality professional development is key to help teachers already in service catch up with the needs of the profession."
Many areas of concern were also raised in the Productivity Commission's final report on the National School Reform Agreement, released in January.
The Productivity Commission recommended a focus on student wellbeing, with more support for teachers to help troubled students, and more avenues for students to get help outside school.
Minister for Education Jason Clare said the latest report would help to inform a review into the next National School Reform Agreement to be led by Australian Education Research Organisation non-executive chair Lisa O'Brien.
Mr Clare said the next school agreement would ensure funding would be tied to reforms "that will make a real, practical difference".
"If you're a child today from a poor family, or from the bush, or you're an Indigenous child, then you're three times more likely to fall behind at school. We must turn this around," Mr Clare said.
"The report also confirms that we have great teachers who are viewed positively by their students, but we don't have enough of them and too many are leaving the profession early."
