Alberta’s educators have finally topped an international ranking – though not the one they hoped for. According to the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2024, 42 percent of Alberta teachers reported experiencing “a lot” of stress at work, earning the province the world title in Educational Despair.
Experts say the achievement reflects a “world-class commitment to burnout,” citing overcrowded classrooms, vanishing prep time, and the thrilling suspense of last-minute curriculum changes. “We’re proud to lead the planet in anxiety,” said one teacher while grading essays during her lunch break in the staff bathroom.
The Alberta government responded by promising to “study the study,” after which it will release an ambitious new initiative: Wellness Wednesdays, featuring a free stress ball per school.
Meanwhile, Finland’s teachers, who reported the lowest stress levels, celebrated by quietly sipping coffee in well-funded classrooms that exist only in Alberta teachers’ dreams.
