Initiative to boost teacher supply extended

Acting Minister of Education Tracey Martin has announced a further $700,000 to help more teachers into classrooms, with the extension of the Teacher Education Refresh (TER) Programme.

Approximately 280 additional teachers will now have access to the fully subsidised TER Programme, announced as part of the Government’s $9.5 million teacher supply package last year.

“The subsidy removes the cost barrier associated with undertaking the TER course.

“We need more teachers in classrooms and the TER subsidy has been so successful that it’s oversubscribed. We want to encourage providers to keep taking on more enrolments.

“The announcement today will see approximately 780 teachers in total able to remain in or re-enter the profession as a result of the TER initiative.”

The extra placements for the subsidised courses are available till 30 June 2018. These additional places will continue to help address immediate teacher supply pressures. The funding has been made available within Ministry of Education baselines.

“This is part of the Government’s ongoing work to increase teacher supply, reduce teacher workloads, and lift the status of the profession,” Tracey Martin says.

More information on the teacher supply package is available at: http://www.education.govt.nz/teacher-supply