Aug 19, 2026 — 1 minutes
We often talk about student engagement in schools, but we ask far less often about the engagement of those who shape their educational experience every day: teachers and educators.
According to the latest Gallup 2026 report, only 20% of employees worldwide are genuinely engaged in their work, while 64% are not engaged, and 16% are actively disengaged. In the latter case, the issue goes beyond a weak connection to work and extends to negative feelings toward the work experience itself.
But what do these numbers mean when we talk about schools?
An disengaged teacher is not necessarily a weak teacher, nor are they against the school.
They may arrive on time, deliver their lessons, grade assignments, and complete everything expected of them. Yet, they may be performing their duties without feeling that they are a partner in, or an influential contributor to, this meaningful mission.
And this is where the difference lies between a school where teachers simply work and a school where teachers feel that they truly belong and are capable of driving change and development.
In a school environment, the impact of professional engagement does not remain within the staff room. It reaches the classroom.
A teacher’s enthusiasm, sense of appreciation, ability to take initiative, willingness to learn and collaborate, and openness to change all shape the experience students have — and inevitably influence their performance and outcomes.
Perhaps, therefore, the most important question for a school leader is not:
Are teachers doing what is expected of them?
Nor is it simply:
Is the school fulfilling its required tasks and responsibilities?
Instead:
Do teachers feel that they have a voice?
Do they understand the impact of their work?
Do they have space to change and learn?
Do they feel that they are part of building the school, rather than simply carrying out decisions made by others?
A self-renewing school is not built solely on competent teachers. It is built on teachers who feel a sense of belonging, have influence, believe that they have a genuine role in developing their school, and have the ability to make that role a reality.
Ghada Al-Sheikh
Early Childhood Consultant
Educational Development Expert
