How government plans to train IT workers, accountants into high school teachers

One in four maths teachers can’t teach the tricky subject and now the government wants IT and science professionals to retrain.

Exclusive: Sports and drama teachers struggling to teach maths and science will be replaced with engineers, IT experts and accountants under a federal government plan to fast-track professionals into classrooms.

Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge is set to announce a review of teacher training to re-skill maths and science-savvy professionals to work in schools. 

Mr Tudge said Australia urgently needs more teachers trained in the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and maths, to future-proof students for the hi-tech world of work. 

He said he worried that one in 10 teaching graduates have failed a basic numeracy test, and that Australian high school students are trailing kids from other countries in maths and science.

“I am keen to have fast-track mechanisms for mid-career people to get into teaching, particularly if they have maths skills,’’ Mr Tudge told News Corp Australia. 

“It is one of the key ways we can improve the teaching of mathematics in our classrooms.

“For engineers, accountants and economists who want to change careers, in many cases they might have a better work-life balance.’’ 

Former engineer Dr Andrew King who is now a teacher at the Churchie school in Brisbane.

Mr Tudge said the requirement for professionals with an existing university degree to complete a two-year education course before becoming a teacher was “a very big impediment for mid-career professionals (to retrain as teachers)’’.

“It’s unnecessary,’’ he said. 

“Twenty years ago, when (school) academic standards were higher, most teachers did a nine-month (retraining) course and the results were better.’’

Chemical engineer Dr Andrew King retrained as a teacher six years ago, after being inspired by visits to schools to promote engineering. 

He now teaches maths and science at the Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) in Brisbane, where he enjoys students’ “creativity, questions, struggles, a-ha moments and accomplishments’’.

Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“Given that STEM engagement is a key government priority and today’s students are tomorrow’s adults, employing STEM professionals in schools seems highly logical,’’ he said.

Banker Clare Donker retrained as a teacher when her son was a baby, 10 years ago, for a better work-life balance and to “make a difference’’.

“It is lovely to see a kid’s eyes light up when they understand something new … or a massive smile on their faces when you give them a compliment,’’ she said.

Ms Donker said her banking experience helped her “use real life examples to help explain mathematical concepts’’.

Engineers Australia chief executive Dr Bronwyn Evans said maths and science teaching needs to be taught in “real world contexts’’.

“We need to upskill our teachers and provide them with the time and knowledge to embrace new teaching skills in STEM, not just add to the already overwhelming workload they experience,’’ she said.

Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) deputy chief executive Dr Sue Thomson – a former maths teacher – said one third of maths classes in Australia are taught by teachers who specialised to teach different subjects, such as physical education or English.

She said high school students have only a one in four chance of scoring a qualified maths or science teacher throughout years 7 to 10.

Engineers Australia CEO Dr Bronwyn Evans

“It’s a huge problem,’’ she said.

“Often when you’re explaining a concept, kids don’t get it, and you might have to explain it two or three different ways.

“If you don’t have a deep and rich understanding of mathematics you probably can’t do that, and you can’t help the ones who fall behind.

“How do we expect kids to do better when they’re not getting the help? They can’t do it by themselves – they need good teaching.’’

Mr Tudge was a founder and board member of Teach for Australia, which has retrained nearly 1000 university-qualified professionals to teach in disadvantaged schools while completing a free Masters degree on the job.

The new Minister criticised universities for failing to teach the basics of maths and English in a four-year teaching degree.

“It’s alarming that 10 per cent of these (teaching) students are failing a literacy and numeracy tests after years at university where they passed through every step of the way,’’ he said.

“No one should be failing after they’ve done years of a teaching degree.’’

The federal government forces all teaching graduates to pass a basic literacy and numeracy exam before they can qualify as teachers – yet one in 10 students have flunked the exam.