An estimated 69 million teachers will have to be recruited by 2030 to meet the United Nations' target of universal education, a report by the international organisation said. The campaign is part of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals initiative.

According to figures quoted in a report by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have the largest teacher-student gap and require around 17 million primary and secondary educators by 2030 to meet the global target. South Asia ranks second in the list, with a need for 15 million educators. The Unesco study was released on Wednesday, October 5, which is commemorated as World Teachers' Day.

Low pay in the education sector is another challenge. Chief executive of the Ghana-based Varkey Foundation, Vikas Pota, said, "We already know that better pay will attract the best graduates into the profession and give them an incentive to stay. A 10% increase in teachers' pay tends to result in a 5% to 10% increase in pupil performance." Pota believes that the international community has a responsibility to help fund this, "given the stretched finances of developing world governments", BBC reported.