Federal Budget 2022: Cash splash to bring teachers to classrooms, boost student mental health

From childcare to university, the budget aimed to boost investment across the education sector. But one group missed out on the spending spree.

Schools across the nation will get an extra pot of cash to spend on youth mental initiatives as Jim Chalmers'’s budget attempted to soothe the crippling impact of two years of disruptive learning on students.

Ageing buildings and school infrastructure will also be upgraded with a cash injection of $271m over two years.

To staff the new and improved schools, the Commonwealth will aim to attract more teachers from 2023 by offering 5000 subsidies of $10,000 per year to students who got an ATAR above 80 and are studying teaching.

The ATAR requirement should buffer the government from criticism that national teacher shortages were being plugged by rushing incompetent educators to classrooms.

An additional $2000 is also up for grabs if they complete their final year placement in the bush.

$10,000 bursaries will aim to attract the next generation of teachers. Picture: Sarah Marshall

But university students will cop a big share of the government’s cost saving measures with the budget putting an end to the 10 per cent discount offered to people who pay their university fees upfront instead of a Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) — a cost cutting measure that will add $144m to the bottom line.

Another $2.7m over two years will see Australians universities reviewed by a panel of experts to find recommendations on how to make them cheaper and more accessible.

Education Minister Jason Clare said the budget boosted investment across education — from early childhood to university.

The new announcements build on the earlier revealed funding for 20,000 university places for teachers, nurses and engineers and 180,000 free TAFE positions for areas facing skills shortages.

“We know that nine out of 10 jobs in the future will require tertiary qualifications –

that’s why what we do in our schools. TAFEs and universities matters,” Mr Clare said.

“This Budget invests in measures that open the door of opportunity wider for

Australians from all backgrounds.”

Every school will get an additional $20,000 this financial year under a $192m investment in student well being initiatives.

Youth mental health also got a cash boost in the budget. Picture: Nikki Short

The money can be spent by the school at their discretion including on more counsellors, excursions, sporting and extra-curricular activities.

A free online mental health check tool will also be created with a $10.8m price tag to allow schools to monitor student wellbeing in real time.

Young people will get a chance to have their say on key policy issues with a commitment to create the Office for Youth.

First Nations educators will be placed in 60 primary schools to work with teachers and teach their languages and culture — a $14.1m measure that will be partially funded by resources already within the department.

TAFE will also get a boost — in a bid to plug skills shortages in multiple key industries — with $50m set aside for a technology fund to create state-of-the-art workshops, laboratories and telehealth stimulators.

Skills Minister Brendan O’Connor said the skills crisis was one of the “greatest economic challenges in decades” prompting funding for a national study on adult literacy and numeracy.

“Australia is facing its most significant skill shortage in decades, exacerbated by COVID-19

and 10 long years of policy neglect. To provide greater opportunity for Australians to have

secure and rewarding employment we must be able to skill and re-skill our workforce,” he said.

Originally published as Federal Budget 2022: Cash splash to bring teachers to classrooms, boost student mental health