Teachers have a history of seeing a decrease in pay and political support in recent years, and one of the biggest decreases in teacher salaries has been in Spain, in comparison to other European Union countries.

A report was released by the European Union in advance of World Teachers Day, Oct. 5, and shows the decrease in salaries between 2009 and 2014, El Pais reported.

"Not surprisingly, the most significant declines have been recorded in the countries most affected by the economic crisis," the release said.

But the greatest decline was Greece, by 40 percent.

"As the European Union is recovering from the economic crisis, member states should think carefully about the role of pay and working conditions to attract and retain the best teaching candidates" European Commissioner Education Androulla Vassiliou said.

The significance in highlighting Spain's salaries is because it had previously been reported as the country with one of the highest teaching salaries.

But some countries, like the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Iceland have increased their teachers' salaries.

The report shows that while Greece reduced the basic salaries by 30 percent and stopped paying Christmas and Easter bonuses, Spain cut the salaries by 5 percent in 2010 and have not adjusted for inflation since.

"Teachers' remuneration and working conditions should be a top priority in order to attract and retain the best in the profession. But attracting the best teachers is not just about pay: it is imperative that classrooms are well-equipped and that teachers have a proper say on modernizing curricula and education reforms," Vassiliou said, according to the statement.

Similar talks have occurred across the ocean in the U.S. in recent years, with teachers striking and asking for extra pay.

And in Africa, BD Live reported that salaries of teachers and health professionals are being reviewed.

President Jacob Zuma told BD Live, "(Children) don't understand that then you have a problem for society that can be misdirected by other people, because people are not informed where we come from. It is up to educators to produce these new South Africans ... from the ashes of our tragic past."