Financial incentives are being offered to early childhood teachers to make regional areas more attractive to them during the rollout of Three-Year-Old Kindergarten across the State.
The Minister for Early Childhood Education, Ingrid Stitt said an additional $510,000 had been allocated to boost early childhood incentives, and achieve parity, to attract teachers to hard-to-staff positions in regional schools.
“Under this funding, incentives will range between $9,000 and $50,000 for successful teachers,” Ms Stitt said.
“The funding will be available to current early childhood teachers who take jobs 100 kilometres or more from their current place of residence or who are making a switch from a teaching career in primary schools,” she said.
“A once-off $3,000 relocation payment will also be available to teachers who move 200 kilometres or more away from their current home.”
Ms Stitt said Three-Year-Old Kindergarten would roll out to a further 15 regional areas next year, including Alpine, Ararat, Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Colac-Otway, Corangamite, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Hepburn, Indigo, Loddon, Murrindindi, Southern Grampians, Towong, and West Wimmera.
“Regional areas need high-quality teachers and education as we deliver Three-Year-Old-Kindergarten – these incentives will ensure regional areas get and keep the teachers they need,” she said.
“These grants provide financial support for teachers to relocate their lives to teach children starting their learning journey,” Ms Stitt said.
