ATAR over 80? Step right this way...

Labor has pledged to get smarter students into teaching.

Labor has pledged to get smarter students into teaching.

High-achieving students would be paid up to $12,000 a year to study an education degree as part of a plan to improve the quality of school teachers to be unveiled by Anthony Albanese.

The Opposition Leader will on Monday pledge to pay 5000 students every year to go into teaching if they receive an ATAR of 80 or more.

The policy, worth $146.5m over four years, aims to double the number of high achievers studying teaching over the next decade, from 1800 a year to 3600. 

Another part of Labor’s education policy is to add an extra 1500 places to programs that encourage professionals in fields such as science and maths to retrain as teachers.

But the third plank of the plan to improve teacher quality is an uncosted goal to increase the pay of educators if Labor wins power, through negotiations of the next school funding agreement with state and territory ­governments. 

Mr Albanese said children would get the best possible education only if they had access to the “best quality teaching”. 

“Labor’s plan will incentivise the best graduates to join the teaching profession, leading to a brighter future for our students and for the nation,” he said.

The Oz has reported that one in ten student teachers fail the basis numeracy and literacy test.

Opposition education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said lifting teaching standards was critical to stopping the inter­national slide in Australia’s school results. 

Labor's education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek. Picture: Colin Murty

“I want students competing to get into teaching like they do to get into medicine or law,” Ms Plibersek said. “If we want a better future in Australia, we need a smart, skilled workforce so we can compete for jobs and growth with our neighbours.”

Under Labor’s plan, high-achieving high-school students will receive $10,000 a year to study education at university, with that being increased to $12,000 for students who commit to teaching in a regional area. 

A longer version of this article appeared in The Australian on Monday.