Every secondary Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) teacher in Australia will be qualified in their relevant subject by 2020 under a Shorten Labor Government.
This announcement is a key part of Labor’s plan to ensure every Australian student studies a STEM subject to year twelve.
To help achieve this goal, Labor will invest $393 million to provide 25,000 teaching scholarships over five years to recent graduates of STEM degrees, encouraging them to continue their study and become a STEM teacher.
This will better equip Australian students with the skills they will need to get good jobs in the knowledge-based growth industries of the future.
Up to 75 per cent of the fastest growing occupations today require skills in STEM.
Employment in STEM occupations is projected to grow at almost twice the pace of other occupations.
Currently, about 40 per cent of those teaching maths in years seven to ten do not have a relevant tertiary qualification.
Across the country, half of principals have reported they had maths or science classes in their schools taught by teachers who weren’t STEM qualified. In Queensland, this number is 76 per cent of principals.
At the same time, year 12 participation in STEM subjects is declining and girls are behind boys in achievement levels.
Immediate action needs to be taken to reverse these concerning trends.
Getting Australia’s workforce ready for the jobs of the future begins in schools—ensuring that STEM teachers are equipped to teach with expertise and enthusiasm encourages students to pursue STEM subjects through to Year 12 and beyond.
A Shorten Labor Government will make sure that by 2020, all secondary STEM teachers are qualified in their discipline.
Mr Turnbull simply won’t acknowledge that investing in education is an insurance policy for Australia’s economy.
In contrast, Labor is 100 per cent committed to investing in our students today, so that they can get good jobs tomorrow.
For more information on Labor’s plan to boost STEM in schools, visit www.100positivepolicies.org.au/skilling_teachers_in_stem.
FRIDAY, 13 MAY 2016
