NSW Education: Plans to bring in over 500 STEM teachers from across the globe

More than 500 “standout” teachers will be imported from across the globe to boost skills in science, technology, engineering and maths.

More than 500 “standout” teachers will be imported from across the globe to boost skills in science, technology, engineering and maths.

The $13.5 million program to lure overseas and interstate STEM teachers will help address an “urgent shortage” of teachers in these subjects, as identified by the Productivity Commission.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the plan to poach skilled teachers would boost and sustain a high-quality local workforce.

“Our education system is among the largest in the world and I am confident that by opening the door to more high-quality teachers from other jurisdictions, we will also become among the highest performing in the world,” Ms Mitchell said.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell. Picture: Lisa Maree Williams-Pool/Getty Images)

“Attracting the best teachers from around the world will help turbocharge our recovery from the pandemic by ensuring our students have access to more high quality teachers.”

Ms Mitchell has written to her federal Education Minister counterpart Alan Tudge and Immigration Minister Alex Hawke to ask for the commonwealth’s support in getting teachers into the country amid ongoing border restrictions.

Under the program, 460 teachers will be recruited between 2022-23, with a further 100 recruited in 2023-24.

Almost 500 teachers will be recruited by 2023 to hit NSW classroom.

Teachers from countries such as Canada and the UK will be targeted, with teachers from those nations considered likely to succeed in Australia.

Increasing investment in teacher supply was among a number of recommendations from the Productivity Commission’s 2021 White Paper.

The White Paper recommended employment-based teaching pathways to target “urgent teacher shortages in science, technology, engineering and maths”.

It also called for a program to recruit qualified teachers. from overseas.

The state government will help successful recruits relocate to NSW, including assistance with border control measures, quarantine, and visa requirements.

“The initiative builds on existing recruitment programs including locality allowances and the New Rural Teacher incentive which offers up to $30,000 a year to teachers willing to live and work in a non-metropolitan location,” Ms Mitchell said.

“Our state boasts the biggest education system in the southern hemisphere and we should be using that position to attract the best teachers from around the country and the world to help our students get ahead,” she said.

The state government said the initiative to poach teachers from overseas built on employment-based pathways for STEM educators.

Originally published as NSW Education: Plans to bring in over 500 STEM teachers from across the globe