Thousands of students will be eligible for scholarships of up to $40k as part of a national bid to lure more people into teaching.
About 5,000 scholarships will be up for grabs for students starting teaching degrees in 2024, with applications open from Monday.
This came after admissions data showed that university applications for education degrees dropped nearly 20 per cent this year, compared with 2023.
New scholarships of $40k each will be available for undergraduate teaching students over four years and $20k will be on offer for postgraduate students over two years.
The program will be targeted at high-achieving school leavers, mid-career professionals, First Nations peoples, people with disability and students living remotely, according to the government.
Those completing undergraduate degrees will be required commit to teaching in a public school or early learning centre for at least four years. Post graduate students will have to stick to at least two years of teaching.
Students completing their final year professional experience placements in remote communities may also be eligible to receive a top-up sweetener of $2k.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said the scholarships will help to tackle chronic workforce shortages plaguing schools across the nation.
The announcement came days after the government launched a national campaign to elevate the status of teaching.
“Teachers do one of the most important jobs in the world, but we don’t have enough of them,” Mr Clare said.
“I want more young people to leap out of high school and want to become a teacher, rather than a lawyer or a banker.”
(SKY NEWS)
