Dr Timothy Shriver warns that a global teacher shortage risks leaving students with disabilities behind
Special Olympics Chairman Dr Timothy Shriver has declared 2026 the “Year of the Teacher”, warning that the world is running short of educators and that the knock-on effect is felt most by students who already face barriers to learning.
He urges governments and education leaders to prioritise long-term investment in teacher recruitment, training and support, with a particular focus on inclusive education for learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
The announcement accompanies Dr Shriver’s 2026 State of Inclusion letter, released on International Day of Education. In it, he argues that when education systems are under strain, students with intellectual disabilities are often “the first to be left out… or the last to be considered” in policy and planning.
A global teacher gap
Why the alarm now? The letter points to a rapidly growing global teacher shortage. UNESCO estimates that the world will need 44 million additional primary and secondary teachers by 2030 to meet basic education needs.
Special Olympics reports “nearly 44 million teacher vacancies worldwide,” warning that shortages can lead to larger classes, less individual support, and fewer learning opportunities, challenges that can hit students with additional needs hardest.
Dr Shriver’s letter also highlights how crisis settings magnify exclusion. It cites 234 million school-aged children living in crisis contexts, with more than 85 million out of school, and notes that in low-income countries, “90% of school-aged children with IDD are not in school.”
What the “Year of the Teacher” is calling for
The letter sets out four focus areas for governments, donors and education leaders:
- Long-term funding: minimum five-year funding cycles, with annual increases linked to inflation, for teacher recruitment and retention (including pathways for teachers with disabilities).
- Mandatory inclusivity training: make inclusive practice a required part of teacher licensure by 2028, rooted in Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
- Teacher wellbeing: protect wellbeing and elevate the profession so educators are respected, resourced and retained.
- School inclusion programmes: invest in initiatives such as peer mentoring, student leadership, and Special Olympics Unified Sports to build belonging across the school community.
Why this matters for the UAE
The UAE features prominently in the Special Olympics’ roadmap. In his letter, Dr Shriver points to Abu Dhabi as a base for developing practical tools to help schools include learners of all abilities.
One of the next steps flagged is a “Unified Champion Schools Inclusion Academy,” planned to launch in Abu Dhabi in 2026 and shaped by collaborations with teachers and youth leaders, including those in the UAE.
The letter also acknowledges the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity’s support for the Abu Dhabi-based Special Olympics Global Center for Inclusion in Education, which aims to strengthen inclusive education practices internationally.
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