Minister for Education, Training and Employment
The Honourable John-Paul Langbroek
04/05/2012
Scholarships and grants attract the best and brightest teachers
The Minister for Education, Training and Employment John-Paul Langbroek this afternoon awarded scholarships to some of Queensland’s best and brightest professionals and secondary school graduates so they could study education at university.
Mr Langbroek said the Step into Teaching Scholarship and Aspiring Teacher Grant program encouraged experts in high-demand teaching areas like maths A and B, chemistry and physics to pass on their knowledge and expertise to Queensland’s secondary state school students.
“These scholarships aim to attract high-achieving science, mathematics and engineering mid-career professionals to the teaching profession,” Mr Langbroek said.
Mr Langbroek said eight science, mathematics and engineering professionals had been awarded $10,000 Step into Teaching scholarships for 2012 and could start teaching our kids as early as 2013.
“The $10,000 scholarships allow the recipients to undertake one year of teac her training,” he said.
“They are also guaranteed a permanent teaching position in a regional, rural or remote state high school, providing they meet the department’s employment suitability requirements.”
Mr Langbroek said a further 12 Aspiring Teacher grants of $1500 had been awarded to young Queenslanders who graduated from Year 12 last year with an OP 1-5 and who had entered a university education course in 2012.
“This is a new program in 2012 that targets high-achieving secondary school students who are committed to a career in teaching,” Mr Langbroek said.
“Like our Step into Teaching scholarship recipients, these new secondary school graduates have selected the teaching profession from the many career paths open to them.
“As the son of a teacher, the importance of education and the teaching profession has been with me from an early age.
“I would like to congratulate each of the 20 Step into Teaching and A spiring Teacher recipients for their commitment to educating our next generation of Queensland school students.
“We know our teaching workforce plays a critical role in driving high standards of student performance.
“So it’s vitally important that we continue to attract committed, high-achieving people to the teaching profession,” Mr Langbroek said.
