From 2024, the state government will make studying secondary education free to help combat the chronic shortage of teachers in Victoria.
Natalie Hutchins the Minister for Education and Daniel Andrews the former Premier, made an announcement last month as part of a $229.8 million package to grow the school workforce.
The scholarship program will follow, almost a same path as the nursing degree scholarship that was announced earlier this year.
From 2024 to 2025, an investment of up to $93.2 million will offer new scholarships to support teaching degree students with the cost of studying and living.
However, final payments will be given out to graduates if they work in state government schools for two years.
This scholarship program has estimated to help increase 4000 future teachers into the school workforce.
The state government also mentioned that a further $27 million will be used to continue and expand the Targeted Financial Incentives Program – providing incentives of up to $50,000 to teachers from Victoria, interstate and overseas to take up rural, remote and otherwise hard-to-staff positions in government schools.
Mr. Andrews said this initiative will help get Victoria back to being the education state again.
Ms. Hutchins said the state government has worked hard to increase the number of teachers to reach this demand.
“Not enough individuals are undertaking teacher training, and 50 per cent of those who join in teacher education courses don’t complete them. And more than 40 per cent of teachers leave the profession after five years,” said by the Australian Education Union (AEU)
The state government’s most recent announcement has been welcomed by the unions, but also recommends that there can be more done to fix the education problems which they are facing.
AEU Victorian Branch Deputy President Justin Mullaly said that the present teachers are burnt out covering for gaps in the system and more must be done to help give schools the ability to retain staff.
“We need to do more to retain current school staff in the system. Retention payments are one of the main solutions which the government can implement to acknowledge the key role of teachers, education support staff, and principals, their valuable work, and encourage them to stay in the profession,” he said.
Federation University, with its Gippsland Campus in Churchill, warmly welcomed the state government’s teaching aid announcement.
The entire scholarship for students who complete their studies and then decide to work in government secondary schools will match the HELP fees charged by the Commonwealth government for Commonwealth Supported Places – $18,000 for a four-year undergraduate program or $9000 for two years of postgraduate study.
Executive Dean at the institute of education, arts and communities Professor Claire McLachlan said, for those who are interested in secondary teaching, the Victorian government scholarships are an excellent initiative which should help to reduce the teacher workforce shortages. The expansion of funding for Career Start is also welcome news to support beginning teachers to adjust to the profession.”
