$16.8m fast-track program yields just 14 teachers

SENIOR officials have admitted they are very disappointed that only 14 teachers have been hired as a result of the $16.8 million government program.

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SENIOR officials at the Department of Education have admitted they are "very'' disappointed that only 14 teachers have been hired as a result of the $16.8 million government program to fast-track mid-career professionals into teaching jobs.

A Senate committee was yesterday told there were significant challenges with the failing program, including participants meeting different state regulatory requirements for teachers and the quality of candidates.

The Teach Next program, announced by Julia Gillard during the 2010 election campaign, was supposed to recruit 450 professionals like accountants and engineers into teaching over four years to address skill shortages.

But Alex Gordon, group manager of curriculum, assessment and teaching at the department, said there has been "quite small'' intake for the program, with six in the end of 2012 and another eight in early 2013.

"They are very disappointing numbers,'' she said. "There are a number of challenges around the participants.''

Ms Gordon said the program had to rely on states offering places and often they did not align with normal recruitment processes which caused problems.

There were also issues with applicants - of which there was more than 521 for the latest round of the scheme - meeting strict regulations required to become a teacher and registration requirements, like certain subjects and specific university education.

"The level of interest has been significant but you have to go through all these funnels ... and you only come up with a few,'' said department secretary Lisa Paul.

Ms Gordon also said $6.4m from the scheme had been redirected to Teach for Australia _ a program that places high-achieving non-teaching graduates in disadvantaged schools. But it is believed it has also only attracted quite small numbers.

Liberal Senator Brett Mason, who quizzed the officials on the program during the Senate estimates hearing, said he was shocked by the small participation levels of Teach Next.

A spokeswoman for Education Minister Peter Garrett placed the blame at the hands of the states, saying regulatory barriers and ``apathy'' by school authorities were responsible for the small numbers.

"Some states have decided not to take part and others have barriers to participation, including registration requirements,'' she said.

"We will keep working to encourage states and territories to take advantage of the opportunities that Teach Next provides.''