Elementary school teachers fall behind in salary, social status

Primary education teachers get significantly less respect and lower wages than their high school counterparts and other university graduates, according to a study by the research center for education and labor market ROA and Ecorys, NU.nl reports.

The salary for a newly graduated primary school teacher dropped below that of other university graduates for the first time in 2008. Since then primary school teachers earned less than other university graduates. High school teachers, on the other hand, on average earn about 10 percent more than other graduates. The researchers can't pinpoint the exact reason why primary school teachers earn less, but think that a number of factors contribute, including the feminization and aging of the sector.

Respect for teachers dropped significantly over the past decade. Physical education teachers get the least respect, followed by primary school teachers. On the profession rankings, PE teachers are 86th on the list of 138 professions and primary school teachers place at 69. Respect for primary school teachers is at about the same level as respect for secretaries, accountants and insurance brokers. Vocational high school teachers rank 10 spots higher at 59.