The Albanese Labor Government is strengthening initial teacher education to better prepare teachers for the classroom from day one.
As recommended by the Teacher Education Expert Panel, the Government has established the Strong Beginnings (Excellence) Fund to support higher education providers share successful approaches to strengthening teacher training across the sector.
Six higher education providers have received grants through the first round of the Excellence Fund worth around $1.5 million, including:
• A partnership led by Melbourne Polytechnic on their work to support students manage classroom behaviour during placement.
• University of New England and Charles Sturt University to develop a new professional experience assessment tool for pre-service teachers during placement.
• Queensland University of Technology to develop resources to support the consistent and effective assessment of prior learning and prior practice to help reduce barriers for mid-career entrants to the teaching profession.
• University of Melbourne to develop practices for classroom management and parent-teacher conferences during placement.
• Griffith University on their work to support the retention of First Nations students during placement.
• A partnership led by RMIT University to develop ways of improving learning and mentor feedback that students receive during placement.
The Government has invested more than $7 million over four years and $1 million each year ongoing through the Excellence Fund to improve the training teaching students receive at university.
From this year, higher education providers have been required to embed new core content into teacher training courses.
This includes more information on how the brain works, how to teach children to read and write and count and how to manage classroom behaviour.
The Initial Teacher Education Quality Assurance Oversight Board has also been established to improve the national consistency and quality of initial teacher education programs and their outcomes.
This happens alongside another strong year for people starting a teaching degree.
Domestic applications to study undergraduate teaching in 2026 jumped 6.5 per cent and undergraduate university offers jumped 6.3 per cent.
Last year it jumped 9 per cent. The year before it jumped 10 per cent.
This is a team effort with the Australian government and state and territory governments working together.
That includes pay rises for teachers, Commonwealth Teacher Scholarships worth up to $40,000 and the introduction of Paid Prac to provide financial support for teaching students.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:
“We’re strengthening the training teachers receive at university and we’ve rolled out Paid Prac.
“One of the best ways to help teachers from day one is to improve the training they receive at university.
“This will help more teaching students complete their course and successfully transition into the classroom.
“It’s all about making sure more teachers are ready with the skills they need to teach children to read and write and manage classroom behaviour.”
